A New Member
by Malika16
Summary: Sozin's Comet is not too far away and Aang is still learning fire bending. While Team Avatar is in town on Ember Island, they meet a girl that can bend both fire and water. She joins Team Avatar and has a wild adventure. Zuko/OC and other pairings.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: **Awesome, this is my second fanfic and i'm happy. Ok, so this first chapter takes place between the episodes 'The Southern Raiders' and 'The Ember Island Players'. And guess who's in it...ME! Malika is at least. she my OC that i made up based on me, of course. So you can't use her name for any of your stories, i'd appreciate it. ^_^. So this story is in most of Team Avatars P.O.V., at least everyone who's in relationship issues. you'll understand more into the story. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: i do not own A:TLA or it's characters I only own my characters that i make up.**

* * *

A New Member

Aang's P.O.V.

I was getting worried. Sozin's Comet was getting closer and closer and I still needed practice on all of my bending. Especially fire bending. We were all sitting in the courtyard of Zuko's beach house on Ember Island.

"Why is it so hot today?" Katara asked as she fanned herself.

I smiled at her. "Maybe we should go into town. Just to look around." I suggested.

"That's a good idea." She agreed.

"And also a bad one." Zuko said.

We turned to him. "What do you mean?" I asked.

"It's too hot out here for me to wear the cloak, but if I don't then I'll be noticed. And then you'll be too hot to wear your hat."

"We'll just have to give it a try. And we're both fire benders. Can't we control our body temperature and possibly cool off?"

"I guess it's worth a try."

Katara stood up and stretched. "Great, we should go now."

* * *

The six of us walked into town and no one seemed to notice Zuko. We all stopped when we heard yelling. The six of us ran and found ourselves facing a huge circle of people.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"There's a fight happening." Someone said next to me.

We made our way to the middle of the circle. A girl around Katara's age, maybe a year older, was fighting a man. Her hair was long and black and she was tall. Sweat trickled down the side of her face.

"Do you really think you're better than me?" The man asked.

The girl was breathing heavily. "Yes, I do."

She threw a fire ball at him, but he blocked it. Before he got to do anything else, he was stopped…by Zuko! I was about to go in there, but I was held back by Katara. I stood and watched.

Zuko's P.O.V.

I couldn't just stand there and watch. While everyone was distracted I made my way over to the man and stopped him from striking. I grabbed his wrist.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing?"

I had to come up with something. Anything. No matter how stupid it was. These people should be lucky that I was being nice.

"That's my…sister. What do you think you're doing?" I pushed him to the ground and grabbed the girl's arm.

"What are you doing?"

"Just follow me."

I walked back to everyone and we made our way out of the group. We made it back to the beach house and I finally let go of her.

"You know, I didn't need some jerk trying to save me."

I pulled back my hood, hoping that she'd know who I was. She crossed her arms and smirked.

"Exactly what I meant by jerk. Prince Zuko. Just because you're a prince doesn't mean I should treat you like one. Well, you're technically a banished prince so…"

"Hey! I just saved you!"

"Well I didn't need your help! They might, but I don't."

She motioned to everyone. I froze. "What are you talking about?"

"I know who that is." She pointed toward Aang. She walked over to him and took off his hat to reveal his arrow. "Don't worry, I'm not going to turn any of you in. I'm too nice of a person." She crossed her arms.

"I've never heard of a single nice Fire Nation person." I lied, but most of the Fire Nation citizens weren't very nice.

"Maybe because I'm not full Fire Nation."

We all stared at her. "What do you mean?"

"Did you even pay attention to my detailed features? Obviously you didn't because you were too busy trying to be the hero of the group."

She stared at me. I froze when I saw the color of her eyes. Blue. They were as blue as Katara's.

"You're…you're from…"

"The Southern Water Tribe? Yes, I am."

Katara's P.O.V

I stared in shock at the girl. She turned and looked at me. "You're from the Southern Water Tribe?" I asked.

"By the looks of it, I'm guessing you're from the South Pole too."

"Um…yeah. But…you're a fire bender."

"The Avatar doesn't have to be the only one who knows more than one element."

"What are you talking about?" I know I probably sounded crazy, but I was curious to know her secrets.

"I'm saying that if you or Prince Jerk needs help with your element, I'm your gal."

I stared at her. "You're a…"

"Water bender and a fire bender."

Zuko's P.O.V.

I had enough of everything. "You're a what?" She turned toward me.

Toph rolled her foggy eyes. "Geez, Sparky. No one needs to say things more than once."

The girl rolled her eyes. "Do you ever listen? I'm both a fire and a water bender. Do you want me to fight both of you to prove it? I will. Two against one. Come on, I'm always looking for a fight."

"Well, at least I can see the fire bender part in her." I said.

She aimed a fire ball at my feet. I jumped back. "Hey! Watch it!"

"I did that on purpose, idiot."

_She's just like Azula. _I glared at her and she glared back, but when she turned to Katara she smiled. I relaxed. "Fine, we'll fight if that's what you want."

She looked at me. "Great, let's go. If I win against both of you I get to join your little group, deal?"

Katara and I looked at each other then at her. "Deal. What if we win?"

"You'll forget you even met me and I'll go back to picking fights on the streets."

"Ok, it's a deal."

"Alright. Someone use earth bending to build a barrier. If you get knocked out of the fighting ring you lose. Let's go."

* * *

Katara and I got into position a few feet away from each other and we faced the girl. She didn't stand in any particular position, just standing.

"I'll try and go easy on you."

"Don't hold back." I said. She raised an eyebrow.

"Ok, whatever you say."

Katara struck first, aiming a water whip at her. She easily deflected it with a wall of fire. She kicked her leg high in the air and fire came at both of us. We jumped over it, but I was caught off guard when a fire whip hit my leg. I ignored the pain from the burn and aimed a fire whip at her. She fell into a split**(A/N: i can't really do the splits)**, just like Azula would. I was getting furious. She reminded me too much of Azula and that didn't make me feel any better. Katara threw ice daggers at her. The girl threw a fire ball and it melted the ice. Then suddenly Katara's leg was caught…in a water whip. I looked at the girl. She was grinning. Then she threw Katara out of the fighting ring.

"Well, looks like it's me against the prince. Who's gonna win?"

"I am, obviously."

She glared at me. Suddenly I was knocked off of my feet. I looked at her. She was laughing a surprisingly melodic laugh. "Wow, you get easily distracted."

I growled and turned around on my back, creating a circle of flames. When I looked up the girl was lying on her back. I smiled. She got up and ran toward me and from then we threw fire after fire ball at each other.

Toph's P.O.V.

I felt the vibrations of the girl and Zuko fighting and it seemed that she was the one winning. "Wow, someone besides Azula is better than Sparky. I think I like her. She knows how to teach people a lesson."

"She's powerful." Aang said.

"Yeah, you're right. She's pretty cool. I think you should let her join. If Zuko and Katara aren't around for a reason I don't know, just saying, she could help you."

"I guess you're right."

"She's weird!" Sokka yelled. "I mean, I didn't even know it was possible for someone other than the Avatar to be able to bend more than one element."

"Neither did I." Aang agreed.

"Well, it would be kind of cool to have another fire bender besides Aang in the group." Suki said.

"Why is that?" Katara asked.

"She and Zuko might be able to understand each other. She looks like she had a difficult past. I mean she's only about your age and she's out on the streets."

"I guess you're right."

"Well, now I don't have to pick a fight with Sugar Queen and Hot Head. I can just pick a fight with this chick."

Zuko's P.O.V.

We were still fighting and night had fallen upon the sky. Every now and then she'd throw water in there, but no change in the battle. We got closer and closer, and finally stopped when my arm blocked hers, causing them to make an X shape. My right arm crossing her right arm. We were both breathing heavily and she smiled. She grabbed my right arm with her right hand and turned under my arm and around behind me. She brought my arm behind me and brought me to my knees. I held back my yell of pain.

"You're not as bad as I thought. Looks like it's a tie. So, it depends on the Avatar's choice of what he wants." She helped me up and we backed away from each other and looked at Aang.

"So, does she stay or leave?" I asked, hoping he'd say she has to leave. But he's too nice of a kid so he might consider her staying.

"Well, she is a great fighter and probably the only one in the world besides me who can bend fire and water. I think she should stay."

The girl smiled. "Well, I'm honored. My name is Malika."

They all introduced themselves and I stood there, crossing my arms.

Aang stood up and stretched.

"Well, tomorrow's gonna be a long day. We should get some rest. Where do you wanna stay, Malika?"

She looked up at the sky and I relaxed. "I'm gonna sleep outside tonight. I'm used to it." Aang shrugged and everyone except Katara and I left. Malika looked at both of us. "You guys need something?" She asked as she smiled.

Katara walked forward. "An explanation. How is it possible that you're a water _and_ fire bender?"

She took a deep breath. "I lived in the South Pole for a few years. When I turned eight I moved out here. Being around fire benders I studied them. Learned their every move. Before I knew it, I started fire bending better than how I started. Don't think I forgot you, Katara."

"You _do_ know me. You do seem kind of familiar."

"You had a crush on my brother." I saw Katara blush.

"Yeah, I remember you now." Malika laughed. "I'm gonna get some rest. I'll see you two in the morning." Katara turned around and left.

Malika sat on the fountain. She looked up at the sky and started playing with her long hair. I took a deep breath and sat next to her.

"What is it?" She asked as she looked at me.

"Um…sorry for my behavior earlier."

She smiled. "Well, don't be disappointed when I say that I didn't expect too much from a banished prince."

"Yeah, definitely Fire Nation."

We laughed, but she quickly stopped. She looked down at her feet, hair still in between her fingers. "I lied."

"About what?"

"Well, I didn't really lie, but I did leave out a lot of things from my life story. I trust you, Zuko. Seeing as you might understand where I'm coming from." I waited. "My mother was Fire Nation and a fire bender. My dad being a water bender. On my eighth birthday she came to the South Pole where I grew up with my dad and my brother. Finding out that I could also fire bend just barely, she thought it wasn't safe for me to be in the South Pole during the war. So, she brought me here. My birth home."

"You must've had a complicated life."

"I did, and that's why I ran away. I didn't want to stay with my mother. I grew up on the streets for a few years. I did and still do love the South Pole, but I also love fighting. So instead of finding my way back home, I stayed here and grew up a fighter. So little people fight me now because they're afraid. I never wanted to become like that, but because I did I stuck with it. It's my way of surviving."

She stopped twirling her hair and looked up at the night sky again. "I can't believe you trust me with this."

She looked at me. "I only told you because you see where I'm coming from, don't you?" I nodded. "I miss my family, very much. But if I go back home…I don't know how my mother would see me."

"That's how I felt when I went back home. I didn't know how my life would turn out being back. And that's when I realized that I did the wrong thing."

"We all do the wrong things in life, but that's why we have mistakes, to try again and make things right." She smiled at me and I smiled back.

Malika's P.O.V.

Zuko and I ended up lying down next to each other on the ground. Staring at the stars and telling stories about how we made it through our lives. I silently listened to his story, how he went around the world looking for the Avatar to regain his honor, all the way to where he is now. That's when I realized that not only did I have a friend, but a friend who actually understood me. Someone who went through the same obstacles as me. I fell asleep with a smile on my face. I made a new friend. And he even promised, no matter how strong I was, he'd look out for me. Well, of course he'd look out for everyone, but because of my abilities to bend two elements who knows what the Fire Nation could do if they got a hold of me.

I woke up with a blanket on me. The sun was just rising. I took a deep breath. I moved the covers away and stood up. I stretched and then sat down on the fountain. I formed a ball of fire in my hand. I stared at it for a while. I pulled as much water from the air as possible, seeing as being in the Fire Nation the air was dry. But we were near the beach so there was a little mist in the air. I formed the water into a ball in my other hand and put both of my hands side by side. Water and fire. Total opposites. I should be my own enemy. "Hey." I looked up and saw Zuko walking toward me. I put my hands together and when I opened them steam rose up into the air.

"Hey." I patted the spot next to me. He sat down.

"I actually had a fun night last night. I've never connected with someone as much as I did with you."

I raised an eyebrow. "Not even Katara?"

He looked at me. "What do you mean?"

"You seem to like her. I know that you're going to say I barely know any of you and that it hasn't even been a whole day since I've joined your group, but still. I can read people and seeing as all the times you've had your ups and downs from your story, there's a connection."

"I shared a story with her once. It's not a day I like to remember."

"How come?"

He explained the story. How they were imprisoned together in Ba Sing Se. He left that part out last night. "And after all of that…I betrayed her."

"Why?"

"I really wanted to go home. I just…I wish I never did that. After all she did to try and help. I guess it wasn't that I wanted to go home, but because I was mad at Aang for taking my only chance of being free from this scar."

I bit my lip. "Why would you want to be?"

"Why wouldn't I?"

"I don't know, it's like…it's part of who you are. But I'll tell you this, if I were you I wouldn't want it gone. Just friendly advice." He smiled at me.

"Good morning you two." We looked up to see Aang walking toward us.

"Morning." I said.

"You ready for a lesson, Zuko?"

"Uh…"

"I think he is. I'd love to see you guys practice." I said.

Zuko glared at me but I only smiled. "Ok. Come on, Zuko. Let's show Malika what we've got." Aang got into his stance and Zuko stood up. They got into position next to each other and began practicing.

After a few hours they finally stopped. Both breathing heavily and sweating.

"Wow, that was…something."

"I'm guessing you weren't impressed." Zuko said.

I smiled. "I wouldn't say I wasn't impressed but you probably could've done better."

"Spoken like a true Fire Nation citizen." Zuko said.

I rolled my eyes. Then Sokka, Suki, Katara, and Toph walked into the courtyard.

"Good morning. Suki and I are going to the town just to look around. We'll be back." Sokka and Suki left.

"We should get a little more practice in before it gets hotter." Zuko said.

"Good idea." Aang responded.

I got up from the fountain and walked over to Katara. "So, what do you think?"

"About what?"

"About Zuko. You obviously like him."

"No I don't. Honest."

"Really?"

"Yeah, why? Do you like him?"

I turned to look at him as he and Aang were fire bending. They looked as if they were reflecting images of each other.

"I don't know. We spent a lot of time together last night. I already know his whole life story."

"Wow, he really trusts you."

"Well, I had to trust him first. I told him more of my life story and we just kind of…connected."

"Well that's good." Zuko and Aang finished up their practice. "Doesn't it seem kind of weird that we're hiding from the Fire Lord in his own house?" Katara asked.

Zuko sat on the fountain drying himself off with a towel. "I told you, my father hasn't come here since our family was actually happy. That was a long time ago. It's the last place anyone would think to look for us."

Sokka and Suki came running back. "You guys are not gonna believe this. There's a play about us."

"We were just in town and we found this poster." Sokka pulled out a poster with a picture of everyone on it, except Suki, Toph and of course me. But no one knows about me…yet.

* * *

**Author's Note: **So, there you have it. The first chapter to A New Member. If any of you read my profile you'll see that i don't have black hair, or light skin or blue eyes. That's the only difference i have with Malika. My eyes are like the fire bender's kind of gold-ish color and my skin color and hair color is a water bender's. Malika has water bender eyes and fire bender's black hair and light skin. Everything else is the same. :].

So,as you may have seen, the end of thi chapter is the beginning of 'The Ember Island Players' episode. but you can't skip the chapters becasue the only difference is Malia, so you have to read. some Kataang coming up next chapter and two chapters later some Malika/Zuko fluff. tehe. Next chapter is gonna be long because it's the whole episode and it's hard to separate it. ok, c ya l8r. Review plze.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: **Ok, i know it took a long time for me to post this chapter, but that's because my internet wasn't working and i got really angry and finally i'm able to post it. YAY! So, this chapter is the Ember Island Players episode, of course the only difference is Malika is in it and...that's pretty much it. I have the third chapter already so i'll post it soon.

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the A:TLA characters. Malika and other made up charecters belong to me.**

* * *

Katara's P.O.V.

Sokka pulled out the poster that he and Suki found. I stood up and walked over to them. "What? How is that possible?" Aang stood to my left and Toph on my right with Malika next to her.

"Listen to this. The boy in the iceberg is a new production from a claimed play right boo **(A/N: i'm not exactly sure if he says boo or poo...)** on tip. Who's scoured the globe gathering information on the Avatar. From the icy South Pole to the heart of Ba Sing Se. The sources include singing nomads, pirates, prisoners of war and the surprisingly knowledge merchant of cabbage."

"Brought to you by the critically claimed Ember Island Players." Suki finished.

Zuko groaned. "My mother use to take us to see them. They butchered Love Amongst the Dragons every year."

I turned back to Sokka. "Sokka, do you really think it's a good idea for us to attend a play about ourselves?"

"Come on, a day at the theater? This is the kind of wacky time wasting nonsense I've been missing."

Malika's P.O.V.

Night had fallen and we were getting seated in the theater. We sat down. Toph sat next to Katara, Katara sat next to Aang, until Zuko sat next to her instead. _So he does like her. They look good together, _I thought.

Aang stood up. "Hey, uh…I wanted to sit there."

"Just sit next to me. What's the big deal?"

"I was just…I wanted to…ok." He sat next to Zuko and I had to try to keep my laugh in.

Zuko and I both had to wear a black cloak because a lot of people knew who we both are. A banished prince and a popular street fighter are probably worth a lot of money to be turned over to the Fire Lord. Suki and I sat on either side of Sokka. The lights dimmed.

"Why are we sitting in the nose bleed section? My feet can't see a thing from up here." Toph complained.

Katara turned to her. "Don't worry. I'll tell your feet what's happening."

The curtains rose and it began with actors that were supposed to look like Sokka and Katara. They were rowing a boat in the icy water of the South Pole. I let out a depressed sigh. It made me think of home. Sokka put his hand on Katara's shoulder so she could look at him.

He got really excited and the actress started talking, "Sokka, my only brother, we constantly roam these icy South Pole seas and yet never do we find anything...fulfilling."

Then the actor spoke, "All I want is a full filling in my stomach, I'm starving."

I raised an eyebrow. I already knew that Sokka was a food addict, but this actor didn't make it funny at all. Katara and Sokka looked at each other, both confused.

"Is food the only thing on your mind?"

"Well, I'm trying to get it out of my mind and into my mouth, I'm starving!"

Everyone except for us laughed. They somehow found it funny, but there was nothing funny about it. Sokka leaned close to Katara.

"This is pathetic. My jokes are way funnier than this."

Toph laughed. "I think he's got you pegged."

The actress started to talk again, but I only brought the hood over my face more and blocked out the sound. I only watched.

I heard Katara, "Well, that's just silly. I don't sound like that."

Suki, Sokka and Toph were laughing.

"Oh man, this writer is a genius." Toph said as she leaned back in her seat.

Suddenly a small mountain type thing appeared and a fake person was moving at the top in an iceberg, I'm guessing it was. The actress pretended to use water bending to break the iceberg. Then a balled lady popped out and i laughed when I recognized who it was supposed to be. Aang got closer to make sure it was what he thought he saw.

"Wait, is that a woman playing me?" The actors were suddenly at "Aang's" feet. Holding on to "his" legs. The actress playing Aang said a few things. "I don't do that. That's not what I'm like. And I'm not a woman."

Toph began laughing. "Oh, they nailed you, Twinkle Toes."

Then two actors came on a boat. They were supposed to be Zuko and General Iroh. The only mistake, Zuko's scar was on the wrong side. "Prince Zuko, you must try this cake."

"I don't have time to stuff my face. I must capture the Avatar to regain my honor!"

"Well, while you do that, maybe I'll capture another slice."

"You sicken me."

Zuko crossed his arms while Katara grinned at him. "They make me look totally stiff and humorless."

I had to hold in my laugh at that. "Actually I think that actor is pretty spot on." Katara said.

Zuko turned to her. "How could you say that?"

I rolled my eyes at the two. _It's amazing they're not together._ I looked back at the stage right when the actor playing Zuko said, "How could you say that?" I looked down at Zuko who sunk back in his seat. I smiled.

The actress playing Aang had just found Momo and made the puppet talk. Momo doesn't talk. That much I know, even for only being in the group for a day. Aang started getting frustrated. Then the scene was at Kyoshi Island where they first met Suki. I started drifting off. This play was boring. From what Zuko told me about his time chasing Aang and everybody most of this was stupid yet true at the same time. Finally I fell asleep, and I could only hear the sounds of muffling voices. I suddenly woke up at the sound of a crying Sokka sitting next to me. I looked at him.

Suki was laughing. "You never told me you made out with the moon spirit."

He put his finger to her lips. "Shh, I'm trying to watch." He said through tears.

Finally the curtains closed after "Aang" saved the Northern Water Tribe. Toph was the only one who was laughing and clapping out of the other six of us. The whole room was cheering, but we were all disappointed.

* * *

Aang's P.O.V.

The first part of the play was over, and I felt like I was going to go crazy. We sat on the balcony waiting for the next part of the play. Zuko leaned against the railing and was the first one to break the silence. "So far, this intermission is the best part of the play."

Sokka came out and sat next to Suki with a bag of jerky. "Apparently the play write thinks I'm an idiot who tells bad jokes about meat all the time."

"Yeah, you tell bad jokes about plenty of other topics." Suki said.

"I know!"

"At least the Sokka actor kind of looks like you. That woman playing the Avatar doesn't resemble me at all."

Malika sat next to me. "Aang, don't feel bad about it. Even though you're the main character, at least you're in the play. I have to hide. No one knows about me."

Toph shrugged. "I don't know, Twinkle Toes. You are in touch with your feminine side than most guys."

I growled. "Relax, Aang. They're not accurate portrayals. It's not like I'm a preachy cry baby who can't resist giving over emotional speeches about hope all the time." Katara said. We all stayed silent for a while and stared at her. "What?"

"Yeah, that's not you at all." I said sarcastically.

"Listen friends, it's obvious that the play write did his research. I know it must hurt, but what you're seeing up there on that stage is the truth." Toph said.

We all got up and walked back inside just in time for the second part of the play.

This part took place in the Earth Kingdom. Suddenly Toph got excited. "This is it. This must be the part where I come in." They had the actress "fly" around the room. "Here it comes."

Then a buff man came up from the stage. "You can't find an earth bending master in the sky. You have to look underground."

We all laughed. "Who are you?" The actress asked.

"My name is Toph, because it sounds like tough. And that's just what I am."

Toph tried cleaning out her ear. "Wait a minute. I sound like a guy. A really buff guy."

Katara leaned closer. "Well Toph, what you hear up there is the truth. Hurts doesn't it?"

"Are you kidding me? I wouldn't have cast it any other way! At least it's not a flying bald lady." She laughed.

I frowned. I looked back at the stage as my character spoke. "So…you're blind?" She raised her hand in front of "Toph's" face.

"I can see you doing that. I see everything that you see, except I don't see like you do. I release a sonic wave from my mouth." He screamed really loud until I thought I couldn't hear anymore. I could've sworn my ears were bleeding. _That's not how Toph sees. What the heck is that about? She sees with earth bending. Spirits, I hate this play! _"There, I got a pretty good look at you." Everyone started clapping.

Zuko's P.O.V.

I would've gotten up a long time ago, but I liked seeing the expressions on everyone's faces. Especially Malika's. I could tell she was disappointed, but it was surprisingly funny. The next part showed the actors playing me and Uncle.

"Zuko, it's time we had a talk, about your hair! It's gone too far."

"Maybe it's best if we split, up." The actor swung his hair. I rolled my eyes. Suddenly, the scene changed to when I helped Aang and everybody against my sister. "Azula, my sister, what are you doing here?"

"You caught me. Wait, what's that? I think it's your honor."

"Where?" _How could they even make my character so…idiotic?_ She pointed and the actors turned around as she escaped. Azula isn't that nice. My heart beat faster when I remembered how she shot Uncle with her fire. I was so mad I wouldn't even let Katara heal him. I still regret that. I regret everything I ever did to make him disappointed in me.

"She escaped. But how?"

The scene changed again to when Azula was drilling the hole to get into Ba Sing Se. I ignored the whole scene. The scene changed before I knew it. It started off with Jet going crazy.

"No, Jet, what did they do to you?" The actress playing Aang asked.

"Must…serve…Earth King!" "Jet" was swinging his hooks around, trying to hit everyone. "Must…destroy!" He was going crazy and then a plastic rock dropped on top of him.

I raised an eyebrow. "Did Jet just…die?" I asked.

"You know, it was really unclear." Sokka said from behind me.

And then the scene changed to Katara and I in the Crystal Catacombs. I leaned in. "I have to admit, Prince Zuko, I really find you attractive."

"You don't have to make fun of me."

"But I mean it," The actress playing Katara sat next to the actor playing me. "I've had eyes for you since the first day you captured me."

Katara and I looked at each other and moved away, feeling embarrassed.

The actor playing me stood up. "Wait! I thought you were the Avatar's girl."

The actress laughed. "The Avatar? Why, he's like a little brother to me," She laughed again. "I certainly don't think of him in a romantic way. Besides, how could he ever find out about this?"

The actors got close together and hugged, Katara's character lifting up one leg as if being as romantic as possible. I had to admit, Katara was attractive, but I still felt like I was going to throw up. Aang stood up.

"Oh, you're getting up?" I heard Sokka say. "Could you get me some Fire Flakes...Oh, and Fire Gummies!"

The scene changed to me, Azula and Uncle. I was standing in the middle with the spot light on me. Uncle stood to my left with an Earth Kingdom flag and Azula stood to my right with a Fire Nation flag.

"Well, my brother. What's it going to be? Your nation or a life of treachery?"

"Choose treachery, it's more fun."

My character walked over to Uncle and Azula's character yelled, "No way!"

My character then pushed down Uncle and walked over to Azula. "I hate you Uncle, you smell. And I hate you for all time!"

Azula and my character walked away as the Earth Kingdom flag fell on Uncle. I laid my head on my arms against the railing in front of me.

"You didn't really say that, did you?" Katara asked.

I turned my head away from her. "I might as well have."

The scene changed to the Earth Kingdom as Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee took over. Ty Lee's character looked too fat. And Mai doesn't carry swords, she carries shurikens. I rolled my eyes at the mistake. _Some research. _I stopped watching as soon as Azula struck Aang with her lightning. _This is stupid. I can't believe I even came here. _

There was another break time, so we sat in the hall. "It seems like every time there's a big battle you guys seem to barely make it out alive. And you guys lose a lot." Suki said.

"You're one to talk, Suki. Didn't Azula take you captive? That's right, she did." Sokka said, getting in Suki's face.

"Are you trying to get on my bad side?"

He backed away. "I'm just saying."

Katara walked up to us. "Does anyone know where Aang is?"

"He left to get me Fire Gummies like…ten minutes ago. And I'm still waiting."

"I'm gonna check outside."

Katara's P.O.V.

I found Aang outside on the balcony, leaning against the railing. I walked up right behind him. I hugged my arms as a chill came over me. "Are you alright?" I asked.

"No, I'm not! I hate this play." He threw his hat on the floor.

I walked next to him. "I know it's upsetting, but it sounds like you're overreacting."

"Overreacting! If I haven't blocked my chakra I'd probably be in the Avatar State right now!" We stayed silent for a while.

* * *

Malika's P.O.V.

I sat in the hall with Zuko, Toph, Sokka and Suki as we waited for the next part of the play. I sat next to Zuko with my hood down, my hair over my shoulder. Suddenly, a little boy dressed as Aang ran past us.

Sokka looked at Suki. "Suki, what are the chances you can get me back stage? I've got some jokes I want to give to the actor me."

She turned to him and glared. "I'm an elite warrior who's trained for many years in the art of stealth…I think I can get you back stage." She beamed.

They walked off and left the three of us sitting in the hall, being bored…well, at least Zuko and I were.

"Geez, everyone's getting upset about their characters. Even you seem more down the usual and that's saying something, Zuko. Same with you, Malika, and you're not even in the play."

"Maybe because I have nothing else to do but watch you guys get humiliated and become embarrassed just because the play write made a mistake. Especially you, Zuko. I saw how embarrassed you got when you're actor and Katara's actor hugged. In my opinion, it was cute."

Toph laughed. "Not funny. You don't get it. It's different for you, Toph. You have a muscle version of yourself taking down ten bad guys at once and making sassy remarks."

"Yeah, that's pretty great." I rolled my eyes.

"But for me, it takes all the mistakes I've made in my life and shove them back in my face. My Uncle, he's always been on my side even when things were bad. He was there for me. He taught me so much and how do I repay him? With a knife in his back. It's my greatest regret, and I may never get to redeem myself."

I put a hand on his shoulder, but it didn't seem to help. Toph slid down next to him. "You have redeemed yourself to your Uncle. You don't realize it, but you already have."

He turned to her. "How do you know?"

"Because I once had a long conversation with the guy and all he could talk about was you."

Zuko pulled his hood back. He smiled at the earth bender. "Really?"

"Yeah, and it was kind of annoying."

"Oh, sorry." He looked down, sad again.

She leaned closer to him. "But it was also very sweet. All your Uncle wanted was for you to find your own path and see the light. Now you're here with us. He'd be proud."

I smiled, knowing that she was right. Then she punched Zuko in the arm. "Ow! What was that for?"

"That's how I show affection."

The little boy wearing the Aang costume came around again. He stopped in front of Zuko. "You're Zuko costume looks pretty good, but your scar is on the wrong side."

He ran away again. "The scar's not on the wrong side!" He pulled his hood back over his head.

I laughed. "These people say they did their research? What liars they are." I said.

"That's why I hate going to these plays. They make no sense at all."

"Well, at least they got some of their facts straight." Toph said.

I shrugged. "Some isn't all." I replied.

Zuko huffed. "Tell me about it."

Katara's P.O.V.

Aang and I were still outside, under the light of the full moon. "Katara, did you really mean what you said in there?"

I looked at him. "In where? What are you talking about?"

"On stage. When you said I was just like a brother to you and you didn't have feelings for me."

My eyes went wide at what he said. "I didn't say that. An actress said that."

He turned away. "But it's true, isn't it? We kissed at the invasion and I thought we were gonna be together, but we're not."

I turned back out to look at the water. "Aang, I don't know."

"Why don't you know?"

"Because we're in the middle of a war. We have other things to worry about, this isn't the right time."

"Well, when is the right time?"

"Aang, I'm sorry, but right now I'm just a little bit confused."

"Do you love him?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Who?"

"Stop acting so clueless right now."

"But I am clueless right now. Who are you talking about?"

"Zuko. Now that I know what really happened in the Crystal Catacombs I don't completely know how I feel."

I looked down and closed my eyes. I snapped them open when I felt warm lips on mine. I pulled away. "I just said I was confused. And just because I'm not in love with Zuko…doesn't mean anything. I'm going inside." I turned around and ran back inside.

Aang's P.O.V.

As soon as Katara left I thought over what I just did. I hit my head with my fist. "I'm such an idiot."

I walked back inside to see everyone sitting down. I sat next to Sokka and he leaned closer to me. "Here's what you missed. We went to the Fire Nation, and you got better, and Katara was the Painted Lady, and I got a sword, and I think Combustion Man died. Oh look, the Invasion is about to start. Shh."

I hugged my knees and watched the play. The scene was Katara and I on top of the submarine before I left for the invasion.

Katara's character spoke, "I just want to let you know, Aang, that I'll always love you…like a brother."

"I wouldn't want it any other way."

They did some small hand shake and my character "flew" away. Later, Katara, Sokka and Toph's characters were standing on the submarine when Sokka's character said something. "Hey Toph, would you say you and Aang have a rocky relationship?"

Everyone laughed, including Sokka. He lifted up my hat still laughing. "I told him to say that." He said. He sat back in his seat.

"I hope everyone's ready for the invasion, Slop-a-pow!" Sokka burst into laughter. I stopped watching as soon as the scene changed to the Fire Nation Palace. I started watching again when "Ozai" appeared.

"With the energy harnessed from that comet, no one will be able to stop the Fire Nation!"

Azula's character came running. She bowed down. "Father, Zuko and the Avatar are at the palace. They are trying to stop you."

"You take care of Zuko. I shall face the Avatar myself!" I bit my lip and blocked out this part of the play and waited until the part where I was to fight Ozai.

Zuko's P.O.V.

"What's the point in this anyway? Couldn't people just wait to see what'll happen instead of getting their hopes up into hoping that we lose?" I whispered.

I already knew the play was going to end that way. It is a Fire Nation play. Malika elbowed me. "Shut up."

I rolled my eyes and looked back to the play. My character and Aang's ran on stage toward Azula's character. "Aang, you find the Fire Lord. I'll hold her off."

Aang's character left and mine was against Azula's. "You are no longer my brother. You are an enemy!"

"No! I am the rightful heir to the throne!"

"We'll see."

They started fighting. Suddenly, the actress who played Azula brought up her hand. Fake flames came toward my character. The shadow from me showed and he yelled, "Honor!"

He sank down below the stage. They just showed me…dying. My eyes went wide. "What is that all about?" I hissed.

Malika elbowed me again. "Do you ever shut up? Complain after the play." I crossed my arms and frowned.

The scene changed to Aang finding Ozai. "So, you have mastered all four elements?"

"Yeah, and now, you're going down!"

"No, it is you who are going down. You see, you are too late. The comet is already here and I'm unstoppable!"

They began to fight. Then "Aang" jumped over "Ozai" when he landed "Ozai" sent a giant "flame" toward "Aang". The flame wrapped around the actress as she yelled. Then she fell and lay there…dead.

Azula's character walked onto the stage. "It is over, father. We've done it."

"Yes, we have done it. The dreams of my father and my father's father have now been realized. The world is mine." Everyone jumped up and began clapping and screaming.

We all walked out of the theater, back to the beach house. "That…wasn't a good play." I said.

"It was pretty disappointing and straight up rude." Malika said as she walked next to me.

"I'll say." Aang said behind me.

"No kidding." Katara said.

"Horrible." Suki said.

"You said it." Toph said.

"But the affects were decent." Typical Sokka.

* * *

**Author's Note: **That was a long chapter, but i said it was gonna be because it was the whole episode, but i enjoyed re-writing it with Malika. So, what do you guys think and please no flames. I'd appreciate it if they're were not flames. Thnk u!


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: **Was the last chapter ok? Like, ok enough for it to be

* * *

Malika's P.O.V.

We made it back to the beach house. Everyone went straight to bed and I picked out a vacant room. I took off my cloak and sat on the bed. I took a deep breath.

"Knock, knock."

I turned to the door to see Zuko standing there. I smiled. "Hey. Like the play?"

"Ha, you wish."

"I think you enjoyed one part."

He raised an eyebrow. "What part?"

"Hm, let me think. Oh! The part when your character got to hug Katara's." I laughed and he glared. "Hey, I'm just saying. And about the whole dying part, you won't die…as long as you're careful."

"Yeah…careful."

"Oh lighten up, _Sparky_. That is what Toph calls you, right?"

"I suppose. She actually has two nicknames for me."

I laughed. I stood up and walked toward him. "Maybe if you weren't so depressed all the time, there might be a spark somewhere in there. Put the spark in Sparky and we might get along more than we already are. Show your true colors, all of my friends do."

"What are you saying?"

"You mean, what are you saying? Or thinking, I should say."

"I'm thinking that you help me put that spark in Sparky." He leaned closer to me. Our faces a few inches away.

"What are you doing?" I asked. I looked at his lips and my breathing began to pick up.

"Showing you the spark that I see between us."

He leaned in closer and kissed me. His lips soft against mine. I reached up and put my hand on his cheek. His hands rested on my waist. I smiled beneath the kiss.

Katara's P.O.V.

I was walking down the hall and suddenly stopped when I saw Zuko and Malika standing in her door way, kissing. I hid behind the wall and watched. A smile crept onto my face. I turned around and headed toward Toph's room. When I opened her door she was lying down on the floor.

"What's up, Sugar Queen?" She sat up.

I closed the door behind me and sat in front of her. "The news is what's up."

"What news?"

"The news about Malika and Zuko."

"Spill!" She leaned closer.

"I just caught them kissing."

"Are you serious? You're not mad, are you?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Why would I be mad?"

"Because you seem to like Sparky and he seemed to like you."

"No, never. Zuko and I are just friends. Nothing more. Why do you and Malika think we're good together?"

"Because, you guys are always together and just how you tease him and he looks at you. I don't know. Guess he found someone else."

I narrowed my eyes. "And I'm happy for the both of them. I knew she liked him. That little liar."

"What are you talking about?"

"Before Sokka and Suki came back Malika walked over to me and asked me if I liked him. I said no and asked if she liked him."

"What did she say?"

"She said that she didn't know. Then she explained how they were up all night talking and how she felt a connection between them."

"Well, personally I think we should go spy on them."

"Toph! Spying is wrong."

"It's not if you're spying to help a friend. We don't need them getting hurt. Now let's go."

She stood up and grabbed my arm. She pulled me out the door and down the hall.

"See, the door is closed. She probably went to sleep." I said.

"No, Sparky is still in there."

"What do you mean he's still in there?"

"I mean exactly what I said. He's still in there, with her." She froze.

"What? What happened?"

She shook her head. "Nothing. Never mind." "Are you sure it's nothing?" "Sugar Queen, yes I'm sure. What I mean is exactly what I said. Nothing's wrong." "Ok then…"

Malika's P.O.V.

Zuko and I stood in the middle of the room. I pulled away and stared into his eyes. "What are we doing?"

"Am I…"

I laughed. "I'm just kidding." I pulled him back to me and kissed him again. Then I pulled away again. "What about Katara? I thought you liked her."

He moved away and sat on my bed. I sat next to him. "What is with you and Toph?"

"What do you mean?" I looked at him.

"Both of you think Katara and I should be together. It's just…I don't know."

"Well, you guys just seem really great together and you're really close. I expected that you liked her. You also kind of showed that at the play when you sat next to her."

He closed his eyes and fell back. "Well, I like somebody else."

I smiled, but decided to play along. "Who? Is she pretty?"

"She's beautiful."

"Oh. She is, is she? Well, is she skilled?"

"The best."

"What's her name?"

He pulled me down next to him and looked in my eyes. "Her name is Malika." He kissed me.

"I know." I said.

Katara's P.O.V.

Toph and I sat in the hall. "What do you think they're doing now?" I asked.

"Well, look who decided to be jealous."

"What are you talking about?"

"You do like Hot Head. Admit it." She crossed her arms.

"I don't like Zuko. Can't you just move on? Even if I did, which I don't, he likes Malika and I'm happy for the both of them."

"Right, of course. Now, time to catch them in the act." She cracked her knuckles and stood up.

"Toph, don't intrude on them."

"Why not? You guys do it to me all the time."

"Do not!"

"You intruded me by coming in my room just a few minutes ago."

"That doesn't count. You weren't doing anything."

"Same difference, you still intruded." She walked over to the door and motioned me to come over. I stood up and walked next to Toph.

"What if they shoot fire at us?"

"Um…I could always earth bend at them."

"Toph, I really think this is wrong."

"You need to take a ride on the dark side, Sugar Queen. Come on. On the count of three. One…two-"

"What are you guys doing?"

I turned around to face Sokka. "Oh, um…what are you talking about?"

"You guys are standing at the door she's-"

"Sokka, shut up. Sadly, we're spying. I caught Zuko and Malika…kissing in the hall and now Toph wants to spy on them."

"You saw them kissing and…" I nodded. "I'm in." Sokka walked over to us.

"Ok, on the count of three we open the door. One…two…three!" Toph opened the door.

"Well, that was a waste." Sokka whispered.

I looked on the bed only to find the two asleep. "Let's not disturb them." I said, pulling Toph back. I closed the door. "Let's just go to bed. We'll talk to them in the morning. They wake up early anyway."

"I guess." The three of us went our separate ways to our rooms.

Zuko's P.O.V.

"Malika, they're gone."

She sat up. "You know, if they wanted to spy on us they should be a little quieter."

"You got that right."

She smiled. "Well, we should get some sleep."

"You're right." I got up.

"I guess I'll see you in the morning." She said.

I smiled. "Yeah, I'll see you." I walked out of her room and walked toward mine.

"You must've had a great night so far." I jumped and turned around, ready to strike. "Relax, it's only me." Katara came out of the shadows and I dropped from my stance.

"You guys are really bad at spying, did you know?"

"It was Toph's idea."

"I figured. You're not the spying type."

"I'm insulted, and we spied when we went to the Southern Raiders. Anyway, I'm happy for you two. You found someone who understands you."

I smiled. "Thank you."

"You should know that we'll always be there for you if you get hurt. Just remember that, ok?" I nodded. "And if you hurt her we'll have to kill you or hand you over to your father. Just kidding, but keep it in mind. You should get some rest. You still seem pretty stressed out from the play."

She smiled then walked away. I walked to my room. I closed the door behind me and got in the bed. I stared at the ceiling before closing my eyes and falling asleep with a smile planted on my face.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Yay! Zuko and Malika kissed, and only in chapter 3. Awesome. I'm letting you know ahead of time, chapter 4 will have a lot of drama. just saying. I'll post it soon. And Toph is so nosy, isn't she? My sister doesn't really like that about her, but it's her personality. Plze review


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note: **I'm back! and no longer grounded! I miss my computer and i'm so happy. So here's chapter 4. It's very long so i had to cut it or it would've been too long. This chapter had A LOT of drama. and i mean A LOT and it all has to do with Malika and Zuko. Ok, enough chit chat. lets get to the story.

**Disclaimer: I own nothing that has to do wit A:TLA except for Malika. She's my character.**

* * *

Zuko's P.O.V. (continue)

"Wake up, Sparky." I felt something poking my face. I opened my eyes and faced Malika. I sat up and rubbed my eyes. When my vision was clear I noticed that she was the one poking me.

"What happened?"

She removed her hand. "Nothing happened. It's pretty early. I expected you to be up by now."

"How early is it?"

"You can barely see the tip of the sun. I wake up earlier than most fire benders but…can't really blame me. Now come on. Walk along the beach with me. I wanna talk with you." She pulled my arm.

I smiled. "Ok, can I get dressed first?"

"It depends. Hurry up. Meet me in the courtyard." She got off the bed and walked out.

I shook my head. "I'm in love with a beautiful but crazy person." I laughed under my breath and got out of bed. I quickly got dressed and ran out of my room, nearly running into Aang.

"Where are you going?" He asked.

"Um…out." "

Shouldn't we be practicing?"

"Uh…why don't we…take a day off?"

"A day off? Are you ok?"

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"Because you're always pushing me to wake up earlier so we can squeeze in more practice. And then when I wake up my earliest you're saying that we should take the day off? What's going on?"

"Ask Katara, I have to go." I walked around Aang and ran to the courtyard to meet up with Malika.

Aang's P.O.V.

I watched as Zuko ran toward the courtyard. I sighed and walked toward Katara's room. _She's probably still asleep. Don't disturb her. _But I didn't listen. I opened her door. "Katara?"

"Hm. What?" She mumbled. Her back was turned to me.

"Are you awake?"

She turned over. "I am now. What's up?"

I walked in. "What's going on with Zuko?"

"What do you mean?"

"I just ran into him a minute ago. He said that we were taking the day off from fire bending. Do you know why?"

She laughed. "You mean he didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what? Before he left he said to ask you. So tell me. What's wrong with him?"

"He's…I don't know how to really put it, but here's my best way. He's dating Malika."

"He's what?" My eyes widened.

"Didn't you hear me?"

"It's kind of hard through your sleepy voice."

She growled and sat up. She leaned closer to my ear. "He's dating Malika. I caught them kissing in her room last night."

"Whoa, that's…a surprise. Um…I always thought…never mind."

"You always thought what?"

I was embarrassed to say it because I love Katara. I didn't want her thinking I don't, but I let it out anyway. "I always thought he…liked you." She groaned and fell back. "What? Did I make a mistake when I said that?"

"No. You're not the only person who thought that."

"I'm not?"

"Toph and Malika thought the same thing and they also think I like him."

"Well, do you?" _What if she says yes? She knows I'd be heartbroken, but she wouldn't keep a secret from me. Would she?_

"No. We're only friends. Aang, if I liked Zuko I'd tell you. I promise. We're only friends and nothing more. Now, go back to sleep. It's too early." She turned on her side.

"Um…ok. I'll uh…talk to you when you're fully awake." I stood up from her bed and walked out, closing the door behind me. I should've been happy when she said she didn't like Zuko, but for some reason I had a feeling that she was lying to me.

Malika's P.O.V.

I waited for Zuko. I looked up when I heard footsteps. Zuko ran towards me. When he stopped he was panting. "Took you long enough."

"Sorry, got held up by Aang."

I laughed. "Well, come on. I woke up extra early just to watch the sunrise with you."

"Are we going to do this every morning?"

"And night for the sunset. Come on, it's romantic." I grabbed his arm and pulled him toward the beach.

"It's not fair."

"What's not fair?" I asked.

"You know I'm more of a sunrise person. You're both."

"Oh well. Suck it up and be a man. We're going to watch both sunrise and sunset."

We got there just on time to watch the sunrise. Zuko wrapped his arms around my waist, but I slipped away when I reminded myself why I really brought him out here.

"What is it?"

"I don't know. It just…something doesn't feel right."

"I thought we felt a spark with each other."

I could hear the anger rise in his throat. I didn't look at him. "Yes, I do feel a spark, Zuko. But I feel like I'm intruding. I really think Katara likes you and I have a feeling…you like her too." I turned and looked at him. He looked away and I could tell he was thinking.

"I don't know, ok? I don't. I…"

"You what?"

"I feel like I've known you my whole life. We get each other. We understand where we're coming from. Yet you feel…different about it." He looked at me.

"I don't feel different about it. I feel exactly how you feel, I just think Katara is hiding her anger and jealousy. I don't know."

"She said she's happy for us."

"Did you ever think that she's lying?" He froze. "Didn't think of that, did you?"

I turned back toward the water. I heard Zuko yell. I turned around just in time to see him blast a fire ball toward a rock. He was breathing heavily.

"Why do you have to make things harder?"

"I'm being reasonable."

"You're being stubborn!"

"How am I being stubborn?"

"You can't accept what you have!"

I felt anger rise inside of me. As much as I told him about my past he still had no idea what I've been through. "I'm trying to accept it, I'm only thinking what might be true!"

"No you're not. You're being stupid!"

"You're being stupid!"

He lunged toward me, but I stopped him by bending out water and freezing his feet. He fell but broke his fall when he held his arms out. The water melted from him heating up. "I don't want to hurt you, Malika."

"You're doing a pretty bad job at that. I honestly don't think you're good with this whole relationship thing." He stood up and grabbed for me. He grabbed my wrist, but I froze it there. "You don't want to hurt me? Then don't. The only way to melt this is by heating up your hand, but it'll also burn me. You're going to have to deal with it."

"Unfreeze it, now!"

"No. Forget it! Let's go. I'll unfreeze once you learn what other people feel." I pulled him along back to the beach house.

We made it back and everyone was awake. They stared at us as we walked in with angry expressions. "What happened to you two?" Aang asked.

"Don't want to talk about it." I said.

"We got into a fight."

I turned to Zuko and glared. "Do you not understand when I say I don't want to talk about it?"

"You said you don't want to talk about it. I never said I didn't want to."

"Well, you're bound to me now!"

"What is she talking about?" Aang asked.

Zuko lifted up our arms. "She froze my hand to her wrist and I can't melt it without hurting her."

"Well, at least you care enough not to hurt her."

"It doesn't matter. I want to be let go! Katara, unfreeze it."

I looked at Katara and shook my head. "Sorry, I think Malika might have a good idea in keeping it that way."

"What!"

I smirked. "Yeah, Zuko. We're stuck like this until I decide when we can be unbound."

"That's not fair."

"Life isn't fair."

"Can we all just stop fighting?" Aang said.

"Are you kidding, Twinkle Toes? This is the greatest show since Snoozles took us to that play."

"Hey! I just wanted to see what it would be like to watch us." Sokka said defensively.

"Well it doesn't matter. I'm hungry. Someone go to the market and get me food." I said.

"You know, Malika, I think we're going to get along well." Toph said. I smiled. "We need to find a nickname for you. Hm…Tough Cookie!"

"I think I like that nickname."

"I think we have a worse problem other than finding nicknames!" Zuko growled.

"Shut up, Sparky." Toph said.

"Yeah, Zuko. Can't you see we're talking?"

"I'll hurt you if I have to."

"Then do it!" Everyone went silent as Zuko and I stared each other down. "Go ahead and burn me just because you want to be let go from this. It's absolutely no big deal at all."

He glared at me. "Just go find her some food." He pulled my arm and began walking toward his room.

"Can you slow down? You're dragging me."

"That's the point." I growled at him. We walked into his room. "Please just unfreeze this."

"Why should I?"

"Because I never meant to yell at you."

"But you did and you can't take it back."

"I wish I could."

"Prove it." He pulled me to him and kissed me.

He pulled away. "I never wanted to hurt you." He whispered.

"But you did."

"And I never meant it. Malika, I'm sorry for hurting you and I'm sorry for getting mad I just didn't understand-"

I put my finger to his lips. "Did you know that you talk too much?" I melted the ice. "You've gone through a lot and I'm only making it harder being here."

"No you're-"

"Just hear me out. Ok? Ever since I joined you guys' things seem to have been…out of line from what I expected. I know what happened after the eclipse and I thought, maybe the royal family isn't as bad as they seem…or at least some of the family isn't. Someone finally stood up to the Fire Lord and for the first time in my life I was proud that someone in the Fire Nation has a heart. Now that I've met you I see that it's possible."

"What about you?"

"I'm not full Fire Nation, so I can't take credit for it. Ever since I got here you seem…like you can't concentrate as much. I don't want you showing me too much attention. You need to help Aang. The Comet is only a few days away. Concentrate, Zuko. I think we should just…lay off for a while."

He stared at me. "I…I don't understand."

"You're concentrating more on me than you are on helping Aang and what you're doing on the day of the Comet."

"Malika, you can't-"

"Just until after Aang defeats the Fire Lord. Ok?"

"I can't wait that long."

"You're going to have."

"But I love you, Malika." I stood there shocked. He sat on his bed and put his head down. "I don't know what it is about you, but…I do know that I love you."

"No, don't say that." I looked away.

"But it's the truth." He grabbed my hand, but I still didn't look at him.

"Zuko, I…" I didn't know how to respond to it. I pulled my hand away. "I need some time alone." I turned around and walked out of his room toward mine.

Zuko's P.O.V.

I watched as she left my room. Anger building inside of me. Not at her, but myself. I gripped the edge of the bed. "How could I be so stupid as to telling her that I love her?" I stood up and walked over to the door. I slammed it shut and pounded my fist against it. "I can't believe I said that!" I pounded the door again and suddenly ended up tearing up my whole room. I sat on the floor and put my head in my hands.

Malika's P.O.V.

I ended up running and crying to my room. I sat on my bed with my head in my hands. Someone knocked on the door. "Come in."

Katara opened the door. "Hi, what's wrong? Did Zuko burn you melting the ice?" She walked over to the bed and sat next to me.

"No, he didn't. We just…I just talked to him and just now he said…"

"He said what?"

"That he…that he loves me."

"He said that?"

"Yeah, but I did what every stupid not-so-tough-girl would do and ran away not knowing how to respond."

"Well, what were you suppose to do? How did he say it exactly? Did you guys kiss and he said he loves you or was it in a confused way he said it?"

"Um…I don't know. We were talking and kind of arguing. I was telling him that he needed to concentrate more on helping Aang than concentrating on me. I told him to wait until after Aang defeated the Fire Lord. He said he couldn't wait that long, but I said he's going to have to. That's when he said that he loves me. He said that he feels like he's known me his whole life. I didn't know how to respond."

"I don't blame you. I probably would've done the same."

"I probably really ticked him off."

"Well, let's go check." She grabbed my hand and we stood up, walking out of my room.

We stood in front of his door. "Ok, let's see what the damage is today." She put her hand on the door knob and the door fell.

"Well, there's part of the damage." I said.

I looked up to see Zuko sitting on the floor at the bottom of his bed, looking out of the window. "Leave." He said.

"Ok, I'm fine with that."

I turned around to leave but Katara stopped me. "You're not leaving."

I turned back around and looked around his room. Everything was broken. There were scorch marks on the walls and holes in the ceiling. I walked over to Zuko and knelt beside him.

"Leave. Me. Alone." He put his head on his knee and closed his eyes.

"No."

"Malika, leave."

"Zuko, no."

"I said leave!"

He looked up. I saw as his hands started to heat up. I grabbed water from a nearby plant and covered my hand in it. I quickly covered Zuko's hand and steam rose.

"Zuko, calm down. I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault. It's my fault for telling you that in the first place."

"You were only trying to make things better."

"But I ended up making things worse."

"You didn't make things worse."

"Yes I did. I was never supposed to tell you that. I should've known you were going to react that way."

"I didn't mean to hurt you. You just…really surprised me. I…I don't know."

"What happened in here?" I turned to the door to see Aang standing next to Katara. Katara only pushed him away. I turned back toward Zuko.

"I think I know what I can do to make it up to you."

He looked at me. "What?"

"I know you like to fight. And I like to fight. And Aang needs more practice. And Katara is always bored doing chores. Come on, the four of us against each other. Water and fire. I know you want to." He grinned. "I'm gonna take that as a yes." I grabbed his arm and pulled him out of his destroyed room. Aang and Katara were still there. "Great, because we're going to cheer Zuko up."

Katara raised an eyebrow. "How?"

"The four of us against each other. Water and Fire. There will be a few rounds depending on how our audience wants it…or most likely how Toph wants it. Come on, let's go. Aang, go get Toph, we'll be in the courtyard." I grabbed Katara and dragged her and Zuko behind me.

* * *

A few minutes later Toph and Aang came back.

"Twinkle Toes explained everything to me. I think this is a good idea. Ok, first round! One on one on one on one…so yeah. I know it seems unfair because Twinkle Toes and Tough Cookie can bend more than one element, doesn't matter! The rules are whoever falls is out. The last one standing is the winner. There are no more rules. I really don't care if you hurt each other. Let's rumble!"

The four of us got into positions making a rectangle shape. Zuko was across from Aang and next to Katara. I was across from Katara and next to Aang. I smirked. Zuko must've seen because he made the first move at me. I jumped back just in time. I kicked my leg and aimed fire toward Katara, who blocked it with a wall of water. Aang aimed a water whip toward Zuko who aimed fire at Katara. He fell when the water hit him. The three of us laughed. Zuko stood up and walked over to Toph to sit next to her. I aimed a fire whip at Aang's feet, who jumped just in time. Katara aimed ice daggers at Aang. He melted it just in time with a wall of fire. I looked at Katara and she looked at me. She nodded. She formed a huge ball of water and I formed a huge ball of fire. We aimed it toward Aang and they made contact just in time as steam rose. Right when Aang cleared it I grabbed his leg with a water whip and tripped him. He fell on his back.

"Hey! No fair, you teamed up on me."

I shrugged. "Whatever it takes to win…Twinkle Toes."

"Hey! Only I'm allowed to call him that." Toph said.

"Whatever." She crossed her arms and blew her hair out of her face. I turned back to Katara. "Look at who we got here. Little Miss Sugar Queen about to fight one of the best fighters most likely in the Fire Nation. Possibly in the world, besides Aang of course."

"What about me?" Toph whined.

"You're only the greatest earth bender in the world. You are tough, Toph, don't get me wrong."

"I guess I shouldn't be mad at you."

"So, Katara. You ready to just…drop out? Forfeit? Just let me win."

"Not a chance."

"What should it be? Water against water or water against fire…or should we test your fighting skills instead of your bending skills?"

"Whatever you want."

"Oh, risky are we?" I threw a fire ball at her and she jumped out of the way. "Tsk, tsk, never get distracted. You should know that. You seem to get distracted every time you watch Sparky fire bend."

Katara's P.O.V.

Her smile was evil. It reminded me of Azula. I shook the thought out of my head. I knew she was only playing, but still. I felt embarrassed. I threw a water whip towards her, but it wrapped around her wrist and she caught it in her hand. _Her hand_. I didn't think that was possible. It was too powerful to touch without getting hurt. She froze the water and pulled her hand back. Shards of ice flew everywhere. I stared in shock.

"Surprised, Katara?" I glared. I ran straight toward her, but she ran away.

"Why are you running away?"

"So I can see how slow you are." Anger bubbled inside of me. She ran out of the courtyard and I followed her. We ended up on the beach. She stopped. "Come on, Katara. How about we make this a little more interesting?" She ran toward the water and jumped. She froze some of it and landed on the icy platform. "Come and get me, Sugar Queen." I followed her lead and landed on the icy platform I made. We bended the water to push us further out to sea. We stopped a few yards away from each other. "Let's see how strong you really are, Katara. I know by how you fight that you're always holding back. Don't be afraid to. Everyone needs a challenge."

"You don't want me to hold back? I'm proud not to."

* * *

**Author's Note: **I told you there was a lot of drama but it all leads to future drama which...doesn't make any sense. Well it will in future chapters.

How serious do u think the little scene with katara and malika will get? how do you think zuko will survive without getting to distracted by malika? so many questions. if u get it rite u get a bunny. don't u wanna cute bunny? or an owl, which evr works for you.


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note: **Chapter 5. YAY! So last time i left off we when Katara and Malika were fighting. I didn't make their fight detailed because...well, i didn't exactly know how to make their fight. but use your imagination, that's what we have brains for. lol. I wanna thank everyone who's favorited and/or alerted this story from the beginning to now: **RadioactiveShark, cocogirl198, mysterygirl123, Lady Esme, Angel-of-Energy, SapphireMoon10, and Chicagobender31**.

**Chicagobender31: **i'm trying to post as fast as i can. HW gets in the way (we've gone back to graphs :P.)

**SapphireMoon10: **Thanks for the note, i'll watch out for that. it's just since Malika is based on me i'm kind of out there going on and off like Malika is doing so...but thanks anyway. ^_^

**Angel-of-Energy: **No, i didn't have Katara bloodbend. I can't have her be too harsh on my charcter. lol. But if i had caught ur comment on time i probably would've put that in there.

Enjoy this chapter

**Disclaimer: You know the deal.**

* * *

Zuko's P.O.V.

We all ran to the beach and watched as Katara and Malika fought in the water. "Shouldn't we be doing something to stop them?" Aang asked.

"Are you kidding? This is actually cheering me up." I said.

"You're not helping, Zuko."

"Wasn't trying to."

We watched as the two girls were fighting. They were equally matched, there was no way one was going to win. We ended up sitting in the sand and making a fire. Night had covered the sky and it was worse for us because it was a full moon tonight. They were both powerful. Everyone else had fallen asleep and the fire died. I stood up from where I sat and walked to the edge of the water. I stood there for a few seconds before stepping in and walking as close to them as I could. I stopped when the water was above my waist. I stared at them and they finally saw me.

"You guys have been fighting all day. You need rest."

"There's a full moon, we don't need rest. We have enough strength to stay up for another day." Malika said.

"Malika, please. For me. You cheered me up, you don't need to fight Katara anymore."

She looked at Katara and Katara looked at her. They both nodded. "Ok, fine. Go on ahead to our camping site that we have for the night. I'm gonna talk to Zuko."

Katara nodded and used her bending to carry her to the shore. She was still on her ice platform. It melted when she got off. I turned back to Malika. She smiled at me. She dove into the water and swam towards me. Coming above surface right in front me. Her wet jet black hair clung to her back. Her deep blue eyes as dark as the sea.

"Come take a swim with me." She said as she pulled my arm.

"Why? I'm not…"

"The swimming type? Come on, Zuko. I cheered you up. You owe me."

"I do, do I?" She nodded, a smile playing her lips. "I guess it won't hurt anyone."

"Great." She started swimming backwards, pulling me along.

"Why are we going out further?"

"Because, we just are. You trust me, don't you?"

"Of course."

"Then there shouldn't be any questions involved. Just swim with me."

We swam out deeper and I couldn't even stand on the tip of my toes. We finally stopped. I turned around. I could barely see the house.

"We're pretty far."

"Stop being such a baby, you'll be ok."

"It's not me I'm worried about."

"Aww, you care for me. Too bad I'm about to do this." She put her hands on my shoulders and pushed me down into the water.

I quickly came back up. "What was that for?"

She shrugged. "Got bored." She started floating on her back.

"You pushed me underwater because you got bored?"

"Yep, that's how it works." "Well, I'm bored. So I guess I should do this." I dove underwater and came back up beneath Malika. I lifted her.

"Hey! Zuko, put me down."

"Whatever you say." I threw her into the water and she screamed.

She came back up and pushed her hair out of her face. "No fair." She bended a ball of water in my face.

"Malika."

She laughed. I watched her. The light from the moon seemed to reflect off of her. Off of her smile. Her eyes. I swam closer to her. She stopped laughing. "What?"

"You're not like other girls. And it's not just your bending or any fighting skills that you have."

"Then what is it?"

"Your smile."

She smiled. "On the count of three hold your breath. One…two…three!" We both held our breath and sunk beneath the water.

Malika's P.O.V.

I put my hand on his face and leaned in closer. Only a few inches away from him. He broke the space between. Our lips meeting. He was my air. It was only us, the water around us, and the light from the moon. I pulled away and bended the water around us to create an air bubble. I looked around my surroundings. Turtle seals swam beneath us. Other various creatures were around as well and I smiled. I looked at Zuko.

"We could stay down here for as long as we want, you know?" I said. He smiled. But it quickly faded. I understood what it meant. "Zuko, don't worry. This war will be over soon. I promise. Aang will win against your father."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

His smile returned. "I'm glad I can trust you."

I smiled. "Come on, we should head back."

"Do we have to?"

"Yes, we do. Hold your breath." I let water fill in our air bubble and we swam up to surface.

"Well, that was fun."

I rolled my eyes. "Well, let's go Mister Fun. Hold on to me."

He wrapped his arms around me. "Why?"

"Because we're literally going to blast out of here." I pushed my hand through the water and we flew through the water toward shore.

We lay on the sand, the tide reaching us. I stared up at the moon and stars. "What are you thinking about?" I turned my head to look at Zuko.

"Nothing. What are you thinking about?"

"Nothing."

I turned on my side. "Oh. That's hard to believe. Come on, something's on your mind. I won't be mad."

"Malika, it's nothing."

"Are you sure?"

"Uh…yeah, I'm positive."

"Ok then. I'm tired. I'm gonna get some rest." I stood up and began walking.

"Where are you going?"

I turned around. "I'm not sleeping out here when there's a warm, comfy bed just calling my name." I smiled and turned back around and began walking toward the house. I looked around to make sure no one else was around, following. I finally made it up and walked through the courtyard toward my room. I walked in and smiled as I looked out the window. The perfect view of the moon. I felt arms wrap around my waist.

"I thought you'd follow me up here. You're helpless without me." I turned around to look into Zuko's golden eyes. They burned with fire and I couldn't help but to smile.

"Why'd you want me up here?"

"I never exactly said I wanted you up here. I just thought you'd be bored without me."

"You're right, I would've been. I thought you said you were tired."

"I am. You look tired too."

"I am tired. You cheered me up."

He leaned in close and kissed me. His hands resting on my waist. He pulled away and smiled. "What?" I asked, becoming curious.

He only shook his head and sat on my bed. "Nothing."

I sat next to him and put my head on his shoulder. "Has anyone ever told you that you're probably the hottest guy alive?" I said with a smile on my face.

He laughed. I loved his laugh. "I appreciate your honesty."

I lifted my head from his shoulder and looked at him. "Do you really?"

He nodded and kissed me. I put my hand behind his head. Knitting my fingers in his soft hair. "Zuko…"

"What?" He pulled away.

"I have a response to what you said earlier and…I think I love you too." He smiled and kissed me again.

Zuko's P.O.V.

I woke up with my arm wrapped around Malika. I looked at her. Her long black hair trailed down her back past her waist. Her slightly pale skin was lit with the light that crept into the room. I twirled my finger in her hair and trailed it down her back.

"What are you doing?"

I looked at her and smiled. "So you are awake."

"Is the sun up?"

"Yes."

"Then I'm awake." She turned around and faced me. Her dark blue eyes staring into mine. "I had fun last night. When we were at the beach." She said with a smile.

"Which part? The one when you were fighting Katara or when you showed me the underwater world?"

She laughed. "I'll admit, it was both. But it was mainly when I showed you the underwater world."

"It was pretty cool."

She put her hand on my face and kissed me. "We should go. The others might still be on the beach. Hopefully they are. I don't feel like listening to everyone yell at each other." She smiled and sat up, but I still lay on my back. Thinking about what happened yesterday. I couldn't keep a smile off of my face. "Get up, Sparky."

"I'm too tired."

She laughed. "Well get up anyway." She got out of bed and stretched. "Let's go."

I rolled my eyes and got out of bed. Walking behind her and wrapping my arms around her waist. I put my chin on her shoulder. "Let go." She said. I smiled.

She got out of my grip and walked out of the room. I followed her out to the courtyard only to find everyone sitting in the shade. "Well, look who's up. Sparky and Tough Cookie. Have fun last night?"

Malika looked at me. I smirked. She rolled her eyes. "What exactly do you guys know?" She asked.

"Well, I woke up in the middle of the night to the sound laughter and splashing."

Sokka stood up. "Well, better to go late night swimming with Malika than with Katara."

"Sokka." Katara said.

"What? Now that I saw the play I know _all_ about you and Zuko's little…moments. I always thought he liked you. Guess I'm wrong." Katara and I both growled. "What's with you two?"

"Everyone always says that Katara and I should be together. Or why aren't we together. Or I thought you liked her. What is it with you guys? Even Malika thinks so."

She shrugged. "I'm only being honest." I walked closer to her and wrapped my arms around her. "Your honesty is what got my attention."

"Are you sure it's all of my honesty or my honesty about what I said last night?"

"Both." She smirked.

Aang's P.O.V.

When Katara had told me everyone thought that she and Zuko should be together I didn't think she meant _everyone_. I was surprised when Sokka said it. I stood up. "Are you ready to practice, Zuko?"

"Zuko is being replaced." Malika said, walking away from his grasp. "I'm gonna be your teacher today."

"You are?"

"You are?" Zuko asked.

"Why not? I haven't done anything but either fight you guys or be Zuko's girlfriend. Come on, I wanna see what Aang has been learning from Sparky. So, you up for it?" She crossed her arms.

"I guess that's fine."

"Great. I also wanna practice water bending with you. See what Katara has been teaching you."

"Um…ok."

"Good, I could use a break." Katara said.

"Alright, get into position and try to burn me."

"What? I'm not gonna burn you!"

"Just try. It's ok if you do."

"You're not getting burned." Zuko said.

"Lighten up, Zuko. Katara isn't the only one who can heal."

"You can heal too?"

"Spirits, what did I do to deserve this curiosity from people?" I laughed.

"I'm only asking a simple question."

"So am I. Back to Aang…Aang, show me what you got. Don't hold back."

"Are you sure about this, Malika? I know you're great and all, but…"

"Aang, just go."

I got into position and aimed a fire ball at her. She easily blocked it. "Come on, Aang. I know you can do better than a simple fire ball…or is that the only thing Zuko taught you."

"Hey! I taught him a lot." Zuko yelled.

She rolled her eyes. "No, it's not. But I'm not going to hurt you."

"You don't have to. Just…give me your all."

My heart started racing. She was my new friend. I don't wanna hurt her. I closed my eyes and snapped them open just as quickly. I brought my hands over my head and swung them around, causing a circle of fire to circle around me. I stopped my arms towards her and the giant wall of fire flew toward her. She brought up her arms and caused a giant wall of fire to block it. It wasn't enough. Before I knew it she was flying and hit the wall, causing a giant hole to form. My heart stopped.

"What did you do?" I heard Zuko yell.

"What? I didn't…she wanted me to. I didn't want to do it."

Before Zuko said anything I heard rocks shifting. I turned back toward the hole in the wall and Malika came out.

"Zuko, I'm fine. Just a little blow, no big deal."

"No big deal? That was a huge deal! You could've been killed."

"Yeah, but I wasn't. I'm perfectly fine…I've had worse." I fell to my knees. "Aang, are you ok?" She asked.

"No, I'm not. I could've hurt you. I told you that I didn't want to, but you had me anyway."

"Aang, I'm fine. Seeing as what you just did…I can see that you're in good hands. You have good teachers." I looked at her and managed a small smile.

"Malika, you're bleeding."

"What?" She looked at Zuko.

"Your arm is bleeding."

She looked at her left arm. Blood trickled down to her hand and dripped off. "It's just a cut." She shrugged.

Katara stood up. "Well, don't let it get infected."

"You guys are such worriers."

"Why wouldn't we be?" She shrugged. "You should heal it."

"Fine, I'll heal it." She pulled water from thin air and covered her hand in it. She placed it on her arm and the water started to glow. The cut healed itself, but blood was still falling down her arm. "Huh…Katara, you know the Puppet Trick, right?"

"The what?" Malika motioned Katara over to the other side of the courtyard.

Malika's P.O.V.

"You know, the Puppet trick." I saw the blank expression on Katara's face. I took a deep breath. "Blood bending."

Katara looked away. "How could I not?"

I put my hands on my hips. "You're afraid to use it, aren't you?"

She looked at me again. "Why wouldn't I be? It's a terrible thing. Why would I want to reach inside of someone and control them? It's wrong."

"I know it is, but we sometimes have to do what we must. It includes blood bending. Bending any kind of liquid."

"What does this have to do with anything?"

"Bend my blood away from my arm. It's outside, you can't hurt me."

"It's still too much. And besides, I've never tried bending blood outside of a body. And don't you need the full moon?"

I lifted my hand and waved it over my left arm. The blood lifted from my arm and I held it in my face. She stared in awe. "Not necessarily. You only need the full moon if you want to control the person for a long time. Obviously who ever taught you…didn't teach you everything. I know it's a terrible thing, but if we have to then we will."

"How did you learn it?"

"It's not hard to learn when growing up on the streets. You learn unbelievable things." I played with the blood that was in front of my face.

"I…I don't know."

"You don't have to, Katara. It's just something to say."

I walked away, back to the group. Freezing the blood on my fingers to look like red claws. "What is that?" Zuko asked.

I looked at him. "What's what?" I put my hand behind my back.

"I already saw it, Malika. What is that?"

He walked up to me. "It's nothing." He grabbed my shoulders and grabbed my arm. "Hey!" He looked at my hand then my arm.

Aang walked over to us. "You can blood bend?" He asked.

I jerked away from Zuko and examined the frozen blood on my fingers. I unfroze it and dropped the blood on the ground. "Yes, I can."

"What more are you not telling us?" Zuko asked.

"What do you mean?"

"It's not a hard question."

"I don't know what you're talking about." I tried walking around him, but he grabbed me by the waist. "Zuko, let me pass."

"No, you're hiding something."

"I'm not hiding anything."

"Yes you are." Aang said.

Sokka and Suki stood up walking over to us. "You're obviously hiding something." Sokka said.

"How did you get into the conversation?"

"I don't know. I just…walked over here."

"Tell us, Malika."

"I have nothing to say. It's no big deal. Now get out of my way." I pushed past everyone and walked out of the beach house down to the beach.

Zuko's P.O.V.

I watched as she stormed off down to the beach. I started to walk after her until I felt a hand in mine. I turned around to face Katara. "Just let her cool off. You guys were kind of in her space." I sighed. Her hand slipped away from mine. "How about I go talk to her?" I nodded and watched as Katara ran after Malika.

Katara's P.O.V.

I ran down the beach. I found Malika sitting on a rock, staring out at the ocean. I walked over to her. "Mind if I sit with you?" She shook her head and closed her eyes. Taking a deep breath. When she let it out smoke went along with it. I sat next to her. "I thought only Zuko and his uncle could do that."

"Well, I think if I have a rare type of bending I should be able to do a few more things. A lot of fire benders can do that, actually."

"So, you're a water bender and a fire bender and a blood bender and you can breathe fire. What else can you do?"

"I can create lightning."

"You can? I thought only Azula, Ozai and Iroh could do that. At least that's what Zuko told me. Mainly the royal family."

"Well, again with the rare gift and it's something rare for other fire benders. I don't know…but sometimes I wish I didn't have both kinds of bending. I'm my own opposite and compared to the war…my own enemy. Just think of that. Being your own enemy." She bended water and formed it into a ball. Then a ball of fire formed in her other hand.

"I guess it's weird."

"Weird? It's beyond weird. Only the Avatar should be the one able to bend all elements. I'm probably the only person besides the Avatar that can bend two elements. Just think of how life is for me. Having to hide part of who I am. It doesn't feel right." She put her hands together and the fire and water turned into steam when she opened her hands.

"Malika, it's…are you ashamed of your ability?"

"I don't know. I always feel too powerful. The sun is out and then the full moon will come out…I don't know how I can take it."

"It's ok, it's great for the war. We need all the help we can get."

"Thanks."

"Come on, Zuko is worried about you." I grabbed her hand and pulled her up and away.

* * *

**Author's Note: **The Puppet Trick, lol. I just thought of that. I didn't _have _to put it in, but i wanted to. If you guys thought that part when everyone was ganging up on Malika and she ran away was too...eh, what's the word? dramatic (there we go), well it happens to me at school when i'm supposedyl hiding something all my friends gain up on me to figure out what it is then i end up being harsh on them and walk away.

i'm so close to getting to Sozin's Comet. Aren't you guys happy about that? i hope u are. Alright, c ya. REVIEW!


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note: **is it just me or has it been forever since i posted? Sorry guys, i've been so caught up in another story i've been posting that has _nothing_ to do with A:TLA. By making it up to you i'll post chapter 7 tonight as well. See? I can be nice...sometimes. lol. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: I don't own A:TLA blah,blah,blah I only own Malika and any other characters i make blah,blah,blah.**

* * *

Malika's P.O.V.

We walked into the courtyard. Aang and Zuko were practicing fire bending. When Zuko saw me, he stopped. "Practice over." He faced Aang and bowed down before running over to me. "Are you ok?"

"Why wouldn't I be?"

He averted his gaze and scratched the back of his neck. "I don't know."

"Don't worry all the time."

He looked at me and smiled. "Come on, I owe you." He grabbed my hand.

"Owe me what?" He pulled me out of the courtyard, into the house, down the hall to the rooms and we walked into his. He closed the door behind him. "What exactly do you owe me?" I asked.

"I wanna show you something." He leaned in and kissed me. He pulled away and walked over to the bed and sat down. He patted the spot in front of him and I sat down.

"What exactly do you want to show me?"

"Be patient." I laughed.

"You know patience doesn't fit me."

"You'll have to be patient anyway." He took a steady, deep breath and the candles that were in his room died down. He took my hands in his and he lifted my palms up towards the ceiling.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm going to teach you something. Do you know how to make a phoenix out of fire?"

I raised an eyebrow and shook my head. "No, I'm afraid I don't."

"Then I'm going to show you how. Make fire."

I obeyed him and a ball of fire formed in my hand. "Now what?"

"Close your eyes and keep concentrating on the fire. No matter what I want you to keep it going." I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I still felt the heat from the flame and it seemed to get hotter, but I didn't mind. Zuko brought my hands up and put my hands together. Then, he pulled them apart and pulled them up in a slight curve. "Open your eyes." I opened my eyes to see my fire in a sort of V shape, but it had a small curve to it. "Watch what I do and do it to the other side afterwards."

He put took his thumb and index finger and grabbed hold of one side of the fire. He slowly pulled his fingers away with a curve going upwards. He did that all the way to the bottom and I could see it now. It was one of the wings. He made the feathers on it. I looked at him and he nodded. I took a deep breath before bringing my thumb and index finger to the other side. I copied what he did. The fire burned between my fingers, but the heat felt soothing. I pulled my fingers away when I was done and it looked similar to what Zuko did. I smiled. He took my fingers and brought them to the bottom. I grabbed the fire and he pulled my fingers down for me. He brought it to a curve and I saw that he was-or I was-making the tail. We continued the process and the tail was finished. He let go of my hand and moved his. He took his fingers between the wings and above the tail and grabbed the fire. He pulled it up until it was almost the height of the wings. And I watched as he made the face of the phoenix.

After what felt like hours, Zuko was finally done. I stared in awe at the phoenix. It was beautiful. The wings were spread out as if it were flying and the phoenix was looking to the left of it. "Was it worth it?" Zuko asked me.

"Uh, yeah. That is so cool. Wow." I was admiring it when something didn't feel right.

"What happened?"

I jumped off of the bed, the phoenix turning to smoke when I lost concentration on it. "Something's not right." I ran out of the room and into the courtyard, just in time to see Aang falling to the ground. "What happened?"

"Someone kidnapped Katara." Sokka said, tears falling down his face.

"What? Who?"

"We don't know. We weren't paying attention. We just heard a scream and…she was gone."

I began to panic. My heart was racing so fast and beating so loud i was afraid it was going to jump out. I was lost for a second. Katara, kidnapped? It couldn't be, but almost anything is possible.

I looked at Aang. He was on his hands and knees. Tears falling from his face and his fingers digging into the ground. "I'm going to find her." I said.

Everyone looked at me. "No, it's too risky." Aang said.

"Too risky? I can take care of myself."

"We can't risk you being captured. You're too special. All of you are and it's bad enough Katara is gone."

"Aang, I'm going to find her weather you like it or not."

"At least, not without me." I turned around and looked at Zuko.

"No, I think I know why they took her. They're looking for me. They spotted me and…this is something I need to do alone."

"No you don't, Malika."

I closed my eyes. "Yes it is. You can't do or say anything that's going to change my mind."

"We're a group now, we stick together. We're not letting you go out alone. We don't even know where they took her."

I opened my eyes. "But I do."

* * *

I finally convinced them to let me go alone. Or as alone as I thought. I knew they were following from a distance. I could feel it. I got annoyed with it and finally turned around. "You guys can come out now. I know you've been following me."

"Well what do expect?" Zuko, Aang and Toph came into view.

"Sokka didn't come?"

"He and Suki wanted to stay just in case Katara came back." Aang said.

"I told you guys that I had to do this myself. Why do you do the total opposite?"

Zuko walked closer. "Because we need to protect you."

I couldn't help but to smile. "Maybe I'm glad you guys came, but still." My smiled dropped and I went back to serious.

"So where are we going?"

"A secret prison."

"And how do you know if it's secret?"

"Let's just say I've been a few times and barely escaped." I turned back around and began walking down the beach. After a few minutes I stopped in front of the bottom of a cliff. I stared at it.

"And why are we stopping here?"

"Because this is where it is." I walked over to the wall and set my hand on it. I moved it around until I felt a hot area. I heated my hand and a door in the rock opened.

"And how many times have you been here to know how to get in?" We walked in and the door closed behind us.

"Like I said, a few."

"I want the exact number."

"Twelve. I've been twelve times, but I've always managed to escape. They almost sold me to Fire Lord Ozai because I'm supposedly too dangerous." We passed a small lava fall.

"Wow, this place is huge." Toph said.

"Yeah, it is. But we're still on the outside. The heart of this prison is a maze. It's hard to escape. Hopefully they don't know that Katara is a water bender, but if they do I know exactly where they're keeping her."

We came to various tunnels. "Turn left." Toph said.

"Yeah, I remember."

* * *

I started getting tired. We've been walking for almost an hour. "How much longer will it take for us to find her?" Aang asked.

"Not much longer. I remember these parts. We're almost there. There's another secret room coming up, just for water benders. It should be about right…here!" I turned to the wall. I was just about to open it when I heard yelling.

"Hey!"

I looked to my left where a guard stood. "Zuko, fire!" He aimed fire toward the guard. We had enough time before the guard focused on us again. I opened the secret door. "Run!" They ran in and I followed. The door closed behind me. "Stay close."

"Where are we?"

"We're getting closer to the heart. Katara isn't far, I know that for sure. But we have to run from here. Just follow."

We broke into a run and turned a few times before coming to the cells. They were all empty. _Probably killed. Sick people! _Rage started to bubble inside of me.

"We should split up. Toph, come with me." Aang said.

"Sure, why not?"

We split up. Toph with Aang and Zuko with me. "Katara?" I called a few times. I was just about to turn around when I heard yelling. "This way." I grabbed Zuko's hand and pulled him away. I stopped in front of a cell. I heard crying. "Katara?"

The figure looked up. "Malika?" I felt tears at the back of my eyes. Katara ran to the front of the cell. Her eyes were red from all of the crying. "You guys came for me?"

"Of course we came from you. I was about to come by myself but they insisted."

"They?"

"Aang and Toph are here too. Somewhere around here. Come on, we're getting you out of here."

"You shouldn't be here."

"What are you talking about?"

"They questioned me about you. They've been looking for you. If they catch you they'll do terrible things. You have to leave."

"I'm not leaving you. I'm getting you out of here no matter what. We're two powerful water benders and Zuko and I are two powerful fire benders. We're getting you out of here and I'm not leaving you." I put my hand on the bar and tried heating it. When I pulled my hand away nothing happened. "Looks like they've improved. Back away from the bars and be careful."

"What are you doing?"

"Just back away."

She backed away and so did I. I took a deep breath and made arm motions, ready to strike the bars with lightning. I pointed my fingers toward the bars. I felt energy flowing through my arm and the usual tingling sensation filled me. Then lightening surged through my arm and came out of my fingers. When I looked at the bars a hole had formed. I could feel Zuko's eyes burning into me, but I ignored him. "Come on, Katara. We have to find Toph and Aang before they get discovered. Same with us."

"Too late." I turned around and faced five guards.

I moved closer to Zuko. "Deep breath."

"What?"

"Together. Breathe fire. One…two…three!" We both took deep breaths and let it out, full of fire. I heard the yells form the guards. Katara jumped out and I grabbed her hand and Zuko's. I pulled them away from the guards. "We have to find-" I stopped, nearly running into the Avatar and the blind earth bender. "Toph and Aang."

"You guys found Katara!" Aang hugged the water bender.

"I understand you're happy, but can we have a reunion when we get out of here?" They let go and nodded. "Now let's run."

The five of us ran around through the halls and back out of the secret door. We ran through more halls and came to a stop when we came face to face with at least ten guards. I turned around to see the same amount.

"Just what I need. A couple of guards to fight. Must be my lucky day."

Three guards stepped forward and blasted fire at us at the same time. I threw my arms up then pulled them down. Water came crashing down on us, but I prevented us from being burned to a crisp. Me, Aang and Katara stepped forward and bended the water up. We lashed out at the guards. I heard Zuko and Toph fighting the other guards behind us.

"It's her! The girl. Grab her!" I looked up to see four guards running towards me.

"Not gonna happen." I said through clenched teeth.

I bended water and threw it towards the guards, freezing them into daggers in the process. Only three dodged while the other one fell with the ice sticking up out of his stomach. My stomach churned. I hated killing people, especially unintentionally. I only did it if truly necessary. This was one of those times. I punched another one in his face and practically burned the other two. When I turned around I saw bodies of the guards spread around everywhere. I wrapped my arm around my stomach and doubled over. I felt warm hands on my back and I let them lead me away.

We had no more run ins with any more guards. We made it out safely with grim expressions on our faces. "Malika, thank you for coming and saving me." I turned around and looked at Katara. I managed a small smile and nodded. "Of course. Why wouldn't I?" We walked back to the beach house in silence.

* * *

Sokka ran to Katara as soon as he saw her. They shared a hug and I smiled remembering my own brother. I looked up at the night sky. Starting tomorrow, Sozin's Comet would be three days away. What if we did win the war? What would happen to all of us? But, then again, there was the negative side to all of this. What if we didn't win the war? What would happen? I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned around to look at Zuko.

"Are you doing ok?" He asked. I knew he was talking about what happened with me when I took down those guards.

I nodded but then shook my head and sighed. "I don't know. Sozin's Comet is four days away. What are we gonna do?"

"Train and hope for the best."

"What if we don't make it?"

"Don't think negative."

"I hate it too, but I'm just being…realistic."

"If being realistic means being negative, don't be." I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. "You should get some rest. We have a long day tomorrow."

I opened my eyes and smiled at him. "You're right. I'll see you guys in the morning." I slipped from his touch and walked toward my room.

Zuko's P.O.V.

I watched as Malika walked off to her room. Her long black hair flowing behind her as her hips- "Zuko?" (**A/N: Ha, interruption.**)

I turned around and faced Katara. "What?"

"I just wanted to thank you."

"Why? Malika did all of the work."

"But if it wasn't for you guys following her both of us probably wouldn't have been here."

"I guess." She smiled and hugged me. I hugged her back.

She pulled away. "Go get some rest. We have long days ahead of us."

I smiled and headed toward my room. I walked through the dark halls and turned into my room. I closed the door behind me and walked over to the window, staring out at the moon. Seeing the moon, I realized that Malika or Katara could've blood bended the guards. I was glad that they didn't choose to or they didn't think about it. I smiled and took my shirt off. I walked over to my bed and lay down. I stared at the ceiling before closing my eyes and falling asleep.

I woke up right when the sun came up. I pushed my hair out of my face, but it fell back into place. I rubbed my eyes and got out of bed. I walked out of the room and toward the courtyard. I stopped when I saw Malika practicing. I smiled. Her hair was in her face and she was breathing heavily. She kicked her leg high in the air and a long line of fire came out. She brought her leg down and stood there. I quietly walked behind her and threw my arms around her waist. I picked her up and swung her around.

"Someone's a little too happy this morning."

I let her down and she looked at me. "Do I look too happy?"

"Yes, you do. Come on, let's practice before everyone wakes up." She got into position and I smiled.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Yes! So what did you guys think? I originally planned Zuko and Malika to go to the beach and just kind of...hang out, i guess, but i changed it to them making a phoneix out of fire. i personally think that's way cooler and not..._too_ romantic. lol. And the fight with the guards...my stomach probably would've done the same if i killed someone, but...it's me or them and i'd be stupid to think it's me.

ok, so...Next chapter is Sozin's Comet and it's a long chapter. I didn't know where to split it up but then i realized, Sozin's Comet is a movie so i might as well make it a long chapter. I pretty much skipped Sozin's Comet Part 1 cuz...there wasn't much i could do. I mean i could've, but didn't want to. I'll tell you this, if i did i would've had Malika get ticked off at Jun because she thuoght Zuko and Katara were together. lolz. Ok, enough talking. REVIEW! plze. the more reviews i get the faster i'll post.


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note: **i told you i'd post it tonight. Ok, so i don't have much to say since i pretty much said everything in chapter 6. So enjoy Sozin's Comet.

* * *

**Two Days Later**

Continue Zuko's P.O.V.

Aang was still missing and the Comet was almost here. We sat in a circle discussing what we were going to do. "How exactly are we supposed to do this when we don't even know where Aang is?" Malika asked.

"We have to do whatever we can. Fire Lord Ozai is Aang's fight if he does come back. We need to slow down everything else." Sokka said.

"What if we do? What if Aang still doesn't come back."

"He has to." Katara said.

"Uncle, do you think you could fight the Fire Lord?" I asked.

"We all have something to take part in this war. My brother is the Avatar's fight. My part is to take Ba Sing Se back. It is my destiny."

"What if we do win the war? Will you come back and take your place on the throne."

"No, I cannot. A new heir must take the throne. An idealist with a pure heart unquestionable honor. It must be you, Prince Zuko."

"Unquestionable honor? But…I've made so many mistakes before."

"Yes, you have. But you have redeemed yourself. Once the Fire Lord is defeated, you must be at the palace ready to take your place. But taking the throne won't be easy. Azula will be waiting there."

"I can take Azula."

"Not alone you can't. You will need help."

"You're right." I looked down and had a good idea. I looked back up. "Malika, would you like to help me?"

She scoffed. "What kind of question is that? Of course I will."

I looked at Katara. "Katara, would you also like to help put Azula where she belongs?"

"It would be my pleasure." She said.

"What about us? What's our destiny today?" Sokka asked.

"What do you think it is?" Iroh asked.

"I think…that even though Aang is missing we need to do everything we can to stop that airship fleet. If Aang does come back he needs as much pressure taken off alone from Ozai."

"So, while the three of you stop airships we have to fight a crazy princess?" Malika asked.

"Pretty much." I answered.

"This is going to be fun." She said sarcastically.

* * *

After our meeting I took a walk along the campsite, thinking to myself. _I can't risk Malika getting hurt. Who knows what Azula would do to her if she found out what she can do? There's only one thing to do. _I looked around for Malika and found her talking to my Uncle. I walked closer, but not too close just to listen in on their conversation.

"I know that Zuko has to do this, but…I don't know what I would do if something were to happen to him. I know Azula is crazy and won't hesitate in killing him. What am I supposed to do? Isn't there another way?"

"Prince Zuko must decide what he wants. Even though his mind is mixed up, he is still my nephew and I must do whatever I can to support him."

"Thank you, Iroh."

"Anything for you. What I've seen it seems that he really cares for you."

I walked up to them. "What are we talking about?" I wrapped my arms around Malika.

"Nothing at all, but you should be careful when eavesdropping, Prince Zuko." Uncle said.

I rolled my eyes. "Do you mind me taking Malika for a while?"

"Not at all."

I guided Malika away from my Uncle. "What's wrong?"

I took a deep breath. "I've been thinking lately and I've realized some things. I don't want you getting involved."

She stopped and I turned to look at her. "What? No. No, you can't do this to me. I should fight next to you, I'm not going to just let you go and get yourself killed."

"I'm not going to get myself killed."

"You won't if I'm with you. Zuko, I thought…I should be able to help you. What I'm I supposed to do while you play hero?"

I heard the struggle in her voice. She was trying to stay strong but I knew any second she'd break down crying. "Malika, I'm not trying to just play hero."

"Then what are you doing? Trying to save your country?"

"That's exactly what I'm doing!"

"That's the same as being a hero!"

I grabbed her wrists and pulled her closer to me. "Fine, maybe I'm trying to be a hero. If I am then I'm doing my job in protecting you."

Tears fell down her face. "No, you're doing your job in breaking my heart. Do you know how sick and tired I am of this happening? All of this happening to me? But you…you just can't seem to stop it. No matter what you do. It's who you are, I shouldn't be telling you to not do this. You're right. You can protect me, but not for the reason you think." She pulled away and walked off.

* * *

I sat on the outside of the wall. I didn't feel like dealing with anyone. "So, exactly what happened between you and Malika?"

I turned around and looked at Katara. "I don't wanna talk about it." I turned back around.

"You don't have to, she told me already. You can't protect everyone, Zuko."

"I've protected all of you so far."

"Nearly getting yourself killed. Exactly, you can't protect everyone if you can't protect yourself." She sat next to me.

"I can protect myself."

"Can you? You almost got yourself killed by your father when you told him you were going to join us. You almost got yourself killed trying to protect us from that assassin you sent after us. You almost got yourself killed at the boiling rock, at least from what I heard. And you almost got yourself killed trying to protect us from Azula at the Western Air Temple. Do you remember all of those times?"

"Yeah, I remember. How could I forget?"

"Ok, so if Malika doesn't come with us, what is she supposed to do while you go play 'hero' as she put it?"

"She needs to find somewhere safe."

She sighed. "Zuko, there's nowhere safe for anyone. Not anymore. I mean, unless she could find her mother. That's…safe."

"They haven't seen each other in years, how is she supposed to find her?"

"I'm just making suggestions."

"Well, they're pretty stupid." She hit me in the side of my head. "Hey!"

"You didn't have to make that comment." She crossed her arms and frowned.

"Well, sorry. You aren't helping either."

"At least I'm trying."

I sighed. "How am I supposed to make it up to her?"

"Let her come."

"I can't risk her life trying to fight by my side."

"But I'll be there. Azula can't take the three of us. And Malika is more powerful than the both of us together. She technically is us together. She can water bend, fire bend, lightning bend, and blood bend. She can heal and she's a really skilled fighter. We need her, Zuko."

I looked at her. "You know that if anything happens to her, I'll blame you, right?"

She smiled. "You don't have to give a direct answer, just consider it. But we're leaving soon." She stood up and walked back towards camp. I took a deep breath and stood up to follow.

I got back to camp, looking for Malika. I ran into Sokka. "Sokka, have you seen Malika?"

"Your girlfriend is in her tent being depressed and angry. How do I know? I can hear things breaking in there. What can she possibly break in a tent? I don't even wanna know."

He walked away and I walked toward Malika's tent. I walked in and saw her sitting on the floor. Her head resting on her knees and her fingers clawing into the ground. She looked up at me. "What? Did you forget to break another part of me?"

"Malika, I didn't mean-" Before I got to finish she threw a brush at my head. I ducked just in time. "Malika, before you throw anything else at my head can I say something?"

"No!" She threw a flower pot at me. I ducked just before it hit me.

"Come on, I just came to say I was sorry!"

"Well, you wasted your energy!" This time she threw a fire ball at me. I deflected it. "Get out! Get out! I never want to see you again!" She grabbed a small wooden table and threw it at me.

I backed out and fell just as it passed over me. I was breathing heavily. Suddenly a shadow hovered over me. I looked up to see Katara. "What? Are you going to rub it in my face that I never should've told her to not come?"

"Actually I was going to suggest if I should talk to her, but your idea is way better."

I growled. "You aren't helping."

"No need to get snippy." She said.

"Just forget it. If she doesn't want me to apologize then forget it!" I stood up and walked away.

Malika's P.O.V.

I began crying as soon as Zuko left. I hugged my knees tightly to my chest. Katara walked in. "Malika? You doing ok?"

"No! I'm not ok! I hate him!" My hands started heating up.

"He came in here to tell you he changed his mind and that you could come along."

"I don't care anymore!" I broke into more tears.

"You're going have to forgive him soon. We're getting ready to leave."

"Just go already."

"Maybe you should go look for your mother."

I scoffed. My anger at Zuko nearly disappeared, all of it going towards my mother. "Why? She doesn't love me. If she did she wouldn't have taken me away from where I grew up. I might've been born in the Fire Nation, but that doesn't mean anything. The South Pole is my home and she took my life away from me. Why should I find her? To beg her for my forgiveness?"

"I never said that, but you should just go find her."

"No, I have my plan. Just go."

"I hope to see you afterward."

"Good luck kicking Azula's butt." I smiled weakly and she returned it. She walked out of the tent and I continued crying. I stopped myself and stood up. I ran out of the tent just in time to see everyone about to leave.

I stood next to Iroh. "Goodbye, General Iroh." Katara said.

"Goodbye everyone. Today, destiny is our friend. I know it." Before Appa took off I caught Zuko's eye. He looked away and Appa flew. I was about to call to him, but stopped myself. And then, Sokka, Suki and Toph took off on the eel-hound. "Why did you not go?" Iroh asked as he set his hand on my shoulder.

"Zuko didn't want me to go."

"He didn't want you going? That does not sound like him."

"He didn't want to risk my life."

We stayed silent for a while. "You really want to be there for him, don't you?"

"I want to do what I couldn't do for my dad and brother. I didn't tell the group that when I left my mom I got a message saying they were killed. I wasn't there to protect them. I feel like I need to protect _him_ though." I was lying to Iroh, and it made me feel guilty. I actually witnessed my brother and dad get killed.

"Well, what do you think you need to do?" I narrowed my eyes and clenched my fists. "I need to catch up with them before he goes and gets himself killed. But how?"

"We have an extra eel-hound if you want."

"Yes. Please. Thank you, Iroh." I hugged the man.

"You go and find them. They'll be on the mainland. In the palace." I let go of him just in time to see Sokka's old sword master bring another eel-hound. "They might be fast, but so is the bison. You must hurry and try to catch sight of them."

I got on the eel-hound. "Thank you. I promise I'll protect him, Iroh."

"I believe in you." I smiled and the eel-hound began running.

Zuko's P.O.V.

I looked at the comet and felt unbelievable power surge through me. "I can't believe I left her like that." I said.

"You wanted to make sure she was ok. You probably did the right thing."

"She threw a vase at me and a wooden table. She was really mad."

"Don't worry. She has to forgive you."

"Why do I have a feeling she won't?"

A few minutes later I spotted the courtyard in which Azula was about to be crowned Fire Lord. I heard the sage. "I now present to you…"

"Do it already." Azula and the sage looked up at us. Appa landed.

"Sorry, but you're not going to become Fire Lord today," I jumped down. "I am."

Azula laughed. "You're hilarious." The sage was about to crown her but she held up her hand. "Wait, you want to become Fire Lord? Fine! Why don't we settle this? Just you and me, brother. The showdown that was always meant to be. Agni Kai!"

I glared. "You're on."

Katara looked at me. "What are you doing? She knows she can't take us both so she's trying to separate us."

"I know but something's off about her. I can't say, but there's just something."

"Even you said that you were going to need help in defeating Azula."

"But this time, I think I can fight her. She can't control herself, I need to do this."

"What would Malika say?"

I closed my eyes and a tear fell down the side of my face. "She needs to understand that I'm doing this for her."

Malika's P.O.V.

The comet was here and I could feel power swirling around inside me. Urging me to use it. But I ignored it and concentrated on making it to the palace. I couldn't see Appa. They must already be at the palace. The eel-hound was swimming as fast as it could go, but to me it felt like it was teasing me and taking its precious time. "Come on, we need to hurry."

It didn't seem to cooperate. I could finally see the small form of the Fire Nation Capitol. I smiled. I turned around and started bending a huge wave. "We're about to get a little help." I brought down the wave and we were pushed faster toward the capitol. In a few minutes I jumped off of the eel-hound and ran up the mountain side. I got to the top in no time and I could see blue and orange fire rising to the sky. I slid down the side and when I got the bottom began to run straight for the palace.

I made it and spotted Katara. "Katara!"

She turned around. I ran to her. "What are you doing here?"

"What does it look like? I'm making sure you two don't get yourselves killed. Come on." We ran out into the courtyard just in time to see Azula creating lightning. "No." I whispered. Then instead of shooting it towards Zuko she shot it toward Katara and I.

I saw Zuko turn his gaze to look at us and he began running in front of the lightning. "Don't do it." I whispered, meaning to scream it out. But it was too late.

The last thing I heard was him yell before he was struck with Azula's lightning. "Zuko!" Katara and I screamed.

I turned toward her. "I'm going to distract Azula. You have to heal him before he dies." Before she said anything blue fire landed in front of us. I looked at Azula. I glared at her. I kicked my leg in the air and shot fire at her. She easily dodged it. "Katara, go!"

She took off her water skin and handed it to me. "I have another, but I think you need this." I took it from her and thanked her. She ran off. I slung the water skin around me.

I faced Azula. She stood a few feet away from me. I uncapped the water skin and bended out the water. I aimed a water whip at her, but she dodged it. "Who are you?" She asked.

"You don't need to know that."

An evil grin spread across her face. "You're powerful aren't you? You can water bend and fire bend. I could use some help. Great use of you would work."

"Not going to happen. Why should I join you if you just shot Zuko with lightning?"

"Oh, I see. Mai's not going to be happy when she finds out the man she loves is with another girl. Oh well, traitors always deserve what's coming toward them."

I brought my arms down and a giant wave of fire went toward Azula. She kicked up her leg and a giant wall of blue fire deflected it. I started getting angry and did the unthinkable. I started blood bending her. "What's going on?"

I brought her down to her knees. "You're in my control." I quickly let go of her and summoned lightning. Bringing my arms across me. When I felt the energy build inside of me I aimed it toward her. Her eyes went wide, but she jumped out of the way just in time.

Then water grabbed her and she fell on her back. I looked around and spotted Katara in a bending position. "Go help Zuko! I'll take care of Azula."

I was about to protest, but when my eyes landed on Zuko's still body I immediately ran to him. I knelt by his side and rolled him over on his back. I looked over my shoulder. Azula was chasing Katara. I kept watching and before I knew it she and Azula were frozen. I turned back to Zuko. A new scar in the shape of a star was imprinted on his stomach. Once again scarred for life. I bended out the water that Katara gave me. I covered my hands in it and settled them on his stomach. "Pleases, please don't die." I saw him tense but suddenly relax.

When I no longer felt the pain I stopped healing. He looked at me. "Malika." I took a deep breath and smiled. Tears tried to force their way out, but I didn't let them.

"I'll be back. Stay still your muscles need to relax." I got up and ran over to where the frozen Katara and Azula were. Katara was moving around in the ice, tying Azula's hands behind her back in a chain. Katara brought her arms down and tied it to the grate beneath them. The ice melted and they both began coughing.

I let Katara catch her breath and I tightened the chain around Azula's hands. Katara looked at me. "Thank you." She said. I smiled and looked back over to where I left Zuko. He had sat up and looked at me. I looked away and closed my eyes. "Go to him, Malika. He loves you and he feels really bad for saying what he said."

I opened my eyes and tears came rushing out, but I felt no emotion wash over me. I suddenly broke into a run toward him. I got on my knees and hugged him. "I'm so sorry. I'm sorry for what I did. I wish I never threw anything at you or yelled at you. I feel really bad. I just need you with me. By my side, I need you. Can you forgive me?"

He wrapped his arms around me. "Of course I forgive you. But I have a few questions. Can you ever forgive me?"

"Yes. What's the rest of your questions?"

"What are you doing here?"

I pulled away and wiped the tears away. "I had to make sure you didn't get yourself killed. And I did the right thing. If I hadn't gotten here Katara probably wouldn't have made it on time and you wouldn't have been healed."

"But I was, by you." He pulled me closer to him and kissed me. "I'm glad you came to help me." He said.

I pulled away and stared into his eyes. His beautiful, gold eyes. I smiled. "Come on, let's get you up." The two of us got up and walked over to Katara. We watched Azula as she screamed her head off. _This girl is truly crazy. _

**Author's Note: **Tada. Sozin's Comet finally arrived...and left. lol. So, did you like it? did i do too much? did i not do enough? Tell me, please and i'll try to make more progress in the future. lol. K, REVIEW. It's right belowe if you don't see it. It says review...and has a talking bubble...that's yellow...and the review is blue...yeah. BYE!


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Note: **I know it's been forever and i'm sorry. But here's chapter 8 and it's pretty long. I'll also post chp 9 tonight so...happiness. lol. enjoy.

**Disclaimer: I do not own A:TLA. Except for Malika. She's personally mine.**

* * *

Zuko's P.O.V.

We walked inside the palace. Katara and Malika helping me walk. "So, what do we do now? Wait for Aang to defeat the Fire Lord?" Malika asked.

"That's the plan." I replied.

"And where does that leave all of us?" She stopped.

I looked at her. "What do you mean where does this leave all of you? You guys get to stay in the palace until you decide what to do." She moved away from me and only Katara was my support. "What? Did I say something?"

She shook her head and backed away. "No I just…" She didn't finish. She turned around and walked away.

I was about to go after her, but Katara held me back. "No you don't. Give her some time. Being both a fire and water bender she's obviously more emotional than me. Come on, you need more healing." She dragged me away. I directed her to my room. We walked in and she lay me on the bed.

"Why do I always say something or mess something up?" I whispered to myself, but Katara heard.

"You don't mess things up. You just say before thinking."

"It's the same."

"No, it's not." She bended the water out of her water skin and covered her hands in it. She set them on my stomach and I flinched. "I can feel your muscles tensing a lot. You're really lucky, Zuko."

My father's words swirled in my thoughts. _Azula was born lucky, you were lucky to be born. _I closed my eyes and tried to get rid of the words. I concentrated on the coolness of the water. "There's nothing more I can really do. It's scarred."

I tried calming myself down. "Just…I know you can't do more, but can you still try. The feeling calms me down."

I felt the coolness of the water again as it made contact with my skin. "Is that better?"

"Much. Thank you, Katara."

"Of course. That's what I'm here for. I should probably leave you to get some rest. Is that ok?"

I took a deep breath. "I think that's best. I need time to think." I heard her stand up and walk out of the door. I opened my eyes as soon as the door closed. "There is seriously something wrong with me." I closed my eyes again.

Katara's P.O.V.

I walked through the palace, not walking into any guards or sages. I looked for Malika. Turning down every hall. I finally found her sitting in the hallway. Her head on her knees. I walked over to her and sat next to her. "Having problems?"

"No, I'm fine."

"Malika, you can't lie to me."

"Katara, how does it feel when you feel like you're breaking Aang's heart?"

"What?"

"We all know that he likes you. What does it feel like when you feel that you're breaking his heart?"

I looked away and thought about it. "I don't know. It's…complicated. I feel like I can't do more. Like I'm so confused and stuck. Not knowing where to go or what to do."

There was silence.

"Do you think that's how Zuko feels when I yell at him?"

I smiled. "I know that's how he feels. We've been talking about it when you weren't around."

She smirked. "I should've guessed."

"Is that a bad thing?"

"I don't think so."

"You should talk to him. He feels really bad."

"I'll talk to him later. After Aang gets back."

"When after Aang gets back?"

"At his coronation. That's the best time."

My hopes fell for the two when she said at his coronation. I had a bad feeling that someone would be there. Someone who wanted Zuko to herself. Mai.

"I think you should talk to him now instead of at his coronation."

"Why? Don't you think it would be easier to talk to him then?"

"No. Not at all."

"Well, I'm gonna talk to him then anyway." _You'll regret it. _

It had been hours and finally Aang, Toph, Sokka and Suki came back. Malika and I ran out front to meet them. "You did it! You beat the Fire Lord!" I said as I jumped up and hugged Aang.

"Yeah, I did. Now the world should be and will be safe."

"I'm so proud of you." I whispered in his ear.

He let go of me and Malika suddenly hugged him. "You have just made my life better now that this stupid a-"

"Ok, enough said." I interrupted.

"I wasn't finished. Thank you for rudely interrupting." She said still not letting go of Aang.

"Well, Ozai actually helped me. If he hadn't blasted that rock and made me knock into a sharp rock right in my scar I wouldn't have gone into the Avatar State and become a fully realized Avatar."

"Wow, some adventure." She finally let go of him.

"What? We don't get hugs? We stopped that airship fleet." Sokka said.

"Yes, you did." I hugged him tightly. "And in payment I'll heal your leg as much as possible." I said when I saw how he stayed off of it. Then I turned to Suki and Toph and grabbed them in a hug. "You all did great."

"What about you? Did you defeat Azula?" Suki asked.

"Yeah. Malika helped me after Zuko got shot by her lightning."

"What!" Everyone yelled.

"Start from the beginning. Starting with: I thought you stayed with The Order of the White Lotus." Sokka said, pointing to Malika.

"I followed them." Malika responded.

"Ok, now continue with the story." He looked at me.

"Azula was going really crazy. And I mean really. And then when Malika and I went to help Zuko, Azula shot lightning toward us."

"And then Zuko jumped in front of it to help." Malika finished. She continued, "So while Katara distracted Azula I went to heal Zuko. Saved him just in time."

"And then right before she shot me with her lightning I froze us and tied her in chains. And that was that." I finished.

"Wow, is he ok?" Aang asked.

"He's resting right now. I gave him a healing session."

"Oh, well now that Ozai is defeated, Zuko will become Fire Lord. That's what he's always wanted."

"Yeah, what he's always wanted." Malika said.

I looked back at Aang. "Aang, can I talk to you for a second."

"What? Oh, of course." We walked away from the other four. "What is it?"

"It's Zuko and Malika. I don't know if they're going to make it through this."

"But, I thought they…you know…loved each other."

"Yeah, but Malika is a bit confused right now. And what about Mai?"

"Zuko's ex-girlfriend? What about her?"

"Knowing her she won't give up trying to win back Zuko. And I know him well enough that he'd never break her heart again."

"Well, what are we going to do?"

"I don't know. We'll have to talk-"

"When did you guys get back?" I turned around and faced Zuko.

Aang moved from behind me. "Hey, Zuko."

"Aang? You…you beat my father?"

"From the help of the Avatar State and a Giant Lion Turtle."

"Oh-wait, what?"

"Your father triggered my contact to the Avatar State and from the help of a Giant Lion Turtle I took his bending away."  
He rolled his eyes. "You are one strange kid."

"Should I take that as a compliment?"

"Yes."

"Then ok."

I rolled my eyes. "How are you feeling?"

"A little better now that I got some rest in."

"Good, because you might want to turn around."

The six of us watched as the sages walked down the steps. "I do not believe it. The Avatar has defeated Fire Lord Ozai." They bowed down. "We are now humble to you, Fire Lord Zuko."

Zuko's P.O.V.

I stood in shock. Not at the sages, but at my life. Who knew all this time that I've been chasing the Avatar he ended up being the one to get me my throne. What I've always wanted. I felt a hand on my shoulder and looked at Katara.

She smiled and I smiled back. "You did hear them right?"

"Yes, I did. And it couldn't have happened without all of you."

They all got closer and ended up hugging me, all except for Malika. I watched her. She held her head low and looked sad. I wanted to run to her, but I knew she'd only throw a temper. They all let go of me and the sages stood up.

"Would you like anything, my lord?"

I turned to them. "I would like to be alone with my friends. And get them some rooms. They'll be staying here for a while." They took one last bow and walked into the palace.

"Congratulations, Zuko. Or should we say Fire Lord Zuko." Aang said.

I smiled. Malika walked over to us. Keeping her head down she said, "Congratulations. I hope you're happy."

"But I'm not."

She looked at me. "I don't need you trying to have me running back to you." With that she walked into the palace. I sighed.

"Do you need me to talk to her?" Katara asked.

I shook my head. "No. It's fine." I saw something in her eyes, but I couldn't make it out. She was thinking of something. "Come on, we should all head inside. The coronation will most likely be next week."

Nine Days Later

Katara's P.O.V.

Just as Zuko predicted, the coronation was a week later. I fixed my hair as best as I could, but kept on my normal outfit to represent the Water Tribe. Everyone was outside, even friends we found on our adventure. My dad was even here. The Kyoshi Warriors, Earth Kingdom Soldiers, The Boulder and Hippo, the remaining Freedom Fighters. I couldn't have been happier. Malika walked in wearing a dress I leant her that was in my closet. Her hair was in a long black braid that hung past her waist. I smiled at her. She was really pretty for someone who loves to fight, just like Toph.

"Thanks for the dress, Katara. It fits perfectly."

"Of course."

She looked away. "Um…"

"What is it?" I walked closer to her.

She looked at me. "My…my mother is here."

"She is? Did you talk to her?"

"I had to. She practically ran into me."

"What did she say?"

"She yelled at me. Told me to never run away again. I told her I didn't have to because I wasn't going to live with her anymore. I've made my decision. I want to go to the South Pole with you whenever you go. And then she…left, crying"

"Are you sure about that? Is your dad still there?"

"Katara, my dad and brother were killed along time ago."

I stared at her. "Malika, why didn't you tell me?"

She shrugged. "Didn't think I'd have to."

I pressed my lips tightly together thinking of something to say. "Well, Zuko's coronation is in thirty minutes."

"Ok, I'll meet you out there."

Malika's P.O.V.

I was walking down the hall when I heard a groan. I turned into a room and hid behind a wall to find Zuko putting on his robe. Bandages wrapped around his body and I cursed Azula for what she did to him. He groaned one more time putting in his left arm.

"Do you need some help?" I looked toward the door to see a girl in black and red standing there. Her black hair was long, just somewhat shorter than mine.

I saw Zuko's eyes widen. "Mai." She pushed herself off of the door frame and walked over to him. "They let you out of prison."

She helped him slide his arm into his sleeve. They hugged and the feeling of jealousy filled me. "My uncle pulled some strings and it doesn't hurt when the new Fire Lord is your boyfriend."

I felt that I could no longer breathe. As I much as I hated him…I had the feeling that I still had to love him. I saw Zuko's expression change from shocked and excitement to hurt and sadness. "What's wrong?" Mai asked, putting her hand on his face.

"It's nothing." He looked away from her.

"Well it has to be something. Why aren't you excited to see me? I thought we forgave each other after I helped you escape the Boiling Rock. What's with you?"

He looked at her again. "I am happy to see you. Really happy. It's just there's something. I don't know how to say it."

"Say what?" She pulled away.

"Mai, I-"

"Zuko, everyone's waiting for you." I said as I emerged from behind the wall. I put on a surprised face, trying to make my entrance seem more legit. "Oh, I'm sorry. Was I interrupting something?"

"Yes." Mai said.

"No." Zuko said at the same time.

"Oh, well sorry if I did interrupt something, but…everyone's waiting."

"Um…of course. I'll talk to you after the coronation, Mai." Zuko walked off and out of the room.

I looked at her. I observed her head to toe. She was pretty, I'll admit. But she looked…depressed. "So, you're Mai."

She looked at me. "Has Zuko mentioned me before?"

"No, he hasn't. Not once. And it's really ticking me off that he didn't." I crossed my arms.

"And who are you?"

"A close friend of Zuko's."

"How close?" She glared at me.

"Probably closer than you'll ever get." I glared back.

She got closer. "You stay away from him."

"You can't make me."

Something shined in my eye and I looked down in her hand. She held a shuriken. I knew them too well. My mom kept them around in case of intruders. She threw it at me and I flew back and hit a wall. My arm was stuck to it. She walked up to me and pulled out another shuriken. "What? You gonna stab me to death? Hold it to my throat and threaten me? Go ahead and see if I care."

I pulled down the collar of my dress to show her my neck. We stared each other down for a moment longer before she put the shuriken away. She took the other one out of the wall that held my sleeve.

"He hurt you, didn't he?"

I let go of my collar and looked away. "Yeah, he did."

"I know how you feel. You were listening in on our conversation, weren't you?"

"Will you get mad if I say I was?"

"Depends."

"Ok then, I was listening."

She sighed. "I guess that means I should stay away."

I searched her face and she looked hurt. "Mai, you shouldn't have to. You love him, I know. Go get him back."

"But he doesn't love me. I shouldn't get in the way." I pressed my lips together. "He loves you, so you should go back to him." Tears filled my eyes, but I didn't let them come out. "I know that even if we ended up together we wouldn't last. Go to him before he changes his mind." I slowly turned around, still glancing at her. When she sighed I took off running to the courtyard.

I made it just in time to see Zuko making an announcement. I stood next to Katara. "Where have you been?" She asked.

"Talking to Mai."

Her eyes widened. "You talked to Mai? What did she say?"

"To go after him."

She raised an eyebrow. "To go after Zuko? Mai said that?"

"Yes, what's the big deal? I mean, she threatened me because I kind of ticked her off."

"How did she threaten you?"

"She pulled a shuriken on me. We talked for a while and…she gave up."

"Wow, congrats."

"Yeah…congrats." I smiled.

I watched as the sage crowned Zuko and he stood up. Everyone began cheering and clapping and tears managed to fall out of my eyes. I was happy. For everyone. Now the war was over. Now, the Fire Lord is mine.

Zuko's P.O.V.

Everyone that had come to my coronation was at the party the same night. Everyone I passed I greeted. I made my way over to all of my friends including Mai and Ty Lee. They all looked at me and smiled. Katara was the first one to hug me.

"I'm so proud of you." She whispered in my ear.

"Thank you." She pulled away and I was suddenly being hugged by a girl in all pink.

"Congratulations, Fire Lord Zuko!" Her hugged tightened around me.

"Thank you, Ty Lee. You can let go now."

She pulled away. "Oops, sorry."

The next person to hug me was Mai. "I'm glad you're happy now." She said as she pulled away. "Wasn't there something you needed to say to me before we were interrupted?"

"Oh…um…"

I was suddenly hit in the arm. "Don't I get a hug, Sparky?" I turned to see Toph.

"I didn't forget you."

"You better not have. I'd have to try and kill the Fire Lord, and I don't think the Fire Nation would be happy." I grabbed her and pulled her into a hug. "I'm proud of you, Sparky. You found the right way to go instead of following your crazy dad's footsteps."

I let go of her. "I know I did. And I'm happy."

I felt a hand on each of my shoulders. I looked at Aang and Sokka. "Well, looks like you're all high and mighty now, Mr. Fire Lord." Sokka said. I smirked. "Well, now we know we can keep balance when the Avatar and the Fire Lord are friends. Right?" I nodded.

"Um…have you guys seen Malika?" I asked.

"No, I haven't seen her all night." Aang responded.

I turned to Katara, but she shook her head. "Is she still mad at me?"

"I…I don't know. We talked a little, but just barely."

"If anyone asks for me tell them I had to…talk to someone…important."

I slipped out of the room and began walking around the palace, hoping to find any sign of Malika. Then, something came to me. Tonight's a clear night. I suddenly ran down the hall and out into the garden.

I stopped when I saw a figure in a red and gold gown lying in the grass staring up at the stars. I smiled. "Why aren't you inside enjoying the party?"

"I'm not too much of a people person and it's too crowded in there." She responded without looking at me.

"You got that right."

"And besides, it's your party. Shouldn't you be in there?"

"It didn't feel right because you aren't in there." She stayed silent. I walked closer to her. "Are you still mad at me?"

"It depends. Tell me why I'm mad at you."

I sat down and lay beside her. Staring up at the stars. "I don't know why you're mad at me. That's why I'm here. To find out." I felt a hand on my head and it was gone. And I felt my hair fall loose.

"First of all I can't take you serious looking how you're supposed to look, Fire Lord. Second of all…I'm not mad at you anymore."

I turned on my side to look at her. "You're not?"

"No. I talked to Mai."

I swallowed back my yelling. "You talked to Mai and she didn't kill you?"

She turned on her side to look at me and she laughed. "That's the same reaction Katara had. She did bring out a shuriken, but she put it away pretty fast. Didn't even threaten me with it. I even gave her the opportunity. Well, she _did_ throw it at me and pin me against the wall, but…"

"What did she say?"

She turned back to the stars, but I kept my gaze on her. I resisted the urge to play with her long hair and kiss her. "She told me that…I should go for you and she'd stay away. I thought it was some joke, but she was serious. And I felt like I had to forgive you."

"Well, you saved me the yelling and threatening."

"How?"

"If I told her that I loved someone else other than her I'd probably be dead."

She smiled. "I guess that proves how good a friend I am." I lay on my back and looked up the stars.

I clenched my jaw. I didn't really like the sound of her just calling us friends. Hopefully I'd change that. "Yeah, you really are…a good friend." I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

When I opened them my Fire Lord crown was in my face. "Here, you might want to go back to your party before people start to get suspicious."

"What if I don't want to go?"

"You should."

I took the golden piece from her hand and stared at it. I now have everything that completes me. Everything I wanted and needed. But there was one puzzle piece missing. And it was where my heart was supposed to be. "Come back inside with me."

"I rather stay out here where it's quiet and not so crowded. You go."

"I'm not going without."

"Zuko, go."

"You're so stubborn."

"And that's what you love about me."

I smiled. "Yeah, it is." I looked at her to find her looking at me.

She moved closer. "I'm sorry about before."

"No reason to be. Now come on, and join the party. I need a dancing partner."

"I don't dance."

"Neither do I, but I have to. Come on, let's go." I stood up and grabbed her arm. "If you don't come I'll drag you."

"You are not ruining my hair and dress." She stood up and brushed herself off. "Fine, I'll be your dancing partner."

"And my best friend?"

"And your best friend."

I pulled out a necklace and held it up to her. "And my Fire Lady?"

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**Author's Note: **YAY! :D. Zuko asked Malika the big question! YAY! It's also kind of a cliffhanger bcuz u don't know what Malika will say. Now tht i think about it i'll post the nxt chp tomorrow just to make u all more anxious. mwhahaha. I'm so evil. lol. Tell me what you guys thought. plze.


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's Note: **Hey evryone. Ok, so last chp Zuko proposed to Malika :D. YAY! Happiness and more happiness...maybe. Hmmm, guess you have to read and find out what Malika says.

**Chicagobender31:** That's a good idea, but you'll find out why i didn't have him ask her inside the party. Everyone would've been disappointed and Zuko would've been humiliated.

* * *

Malika's P.O.V.

I stared at him. I could no longer breathe. I tried to speak but words wouldn't come out. "I thought that since you missed the South Pole so much, I'd propose to you in the traditional Water Tribe ways. Katara and Sokka helped me." I took the necklace in my hand and stared at the carving. "The carving is supposed to be based on who you are."

I traced my finger over it. "Yin and Yang." I whispered. I looked at him. "Zuko, I…I don't…why me? Why me of all the women in the Fire Nation?"

"Because none of them are as beautiful and skilled as you are. Not in just your bending but regular fighting skills. No one is as smart as you."

Tears fell down my face. "I…I can't. I don't belong here."

"You're probably right. You don't belong in the Fire Nation. But you do belong in here." He grabbed my hand and put it on his chest, right above his heart.

I closed my eyes and let the tears fall rapidly. I wrapped my hand around the necklace. "Well?"

I opened my eyes and looked at him. "Would you be mad if I asked to give me some time?" I slipped the necklace into his hand and he wrapped his hand around it. I saw pain in his eyes.

"Not at all. Take as long as you want." He turned around and walked away, putting the crown back into his hair. I wanted to call after him, but decided it would be best not to.

I walked into the party and found my group of friends. Katara smiled at me. "I'm guessing Zuko found you." I only nodded. "What's wrong?" She asked me.

"What? What would make you think something's wrong?"

"Just, the way you're acting."

I looked around and grabbed her hand. I pulled her away from everyone and to an area where there were little people. "You have to promise not to tell anyone." I said.

"Of course."

I took a deep breath. "Zuko just…proposed to me."

She smiled. "He did, did he?"

"Don't act all surprised, I know you helped him make the necklace."

Her face fell. "Why do you sound angry?"

"Because I don't know if I should say yes or no."

"Say yes. Come on, Malika. We all know that you're both deeply in love with each other. Why didn't you say yes?"

"Because I want to go back home. I don't belong here."

"But it's a part of who you-"

"Exactly, it's only a part. I have more Water Tribe than Fire Nation in my blood. I just know it."

"Malika, it's a half chance. Half and half. There's no fifty-one to forty-nine. There's just fifty and fifty."

I looked at her with watery eyes. I searched her face. "How do you know?"

She smiled. "Because, in just the days that we've known each other I can see it in you."

"It's amazing how much you sound like my mother and you're younger than me."

She smiled again. "It's a gift. So, say yes. It'll make both of you happy."

I took a deep breath. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

"So, go find him and give him your answer."

I nodded. "Thanks, Katara." "Of course, any time."

She walked away, leaving me in the corner. I walked into the crowd and began to look for him. I found Iroh. I tapped him on the shoulder and he spun around. "Lady Malika, what a surprise. Where have you been?"

I smiled. "Outside. I couldn't…take this crowd."

"Yes, it does get crowded in here and stuffy." He laughed.

"Have you seen Zuko?"

"The last time I saw him he was walking away with a disappointed look on his face. Do you know why that is?"

I frowned and looked away. "It's because of me."

"Oh? And why, may I ask?"

I looked at him. "He proposed to me just now and I didn't give him an answer. I have an answer now, but I can't find him."

He smiled and nodded. "I knew this would come sooner or later. Now that you mention it, I saw Ty Lee running after him. Just follow the sight of pink, the sound of joy and the smell of papaya. That's her favorite fruit." He said with a laugh following.

"Thank you."

"Of course." With that I took off.

After almost half an hour I still couldn't find him. Then I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned around and saw Mai. "Hey."

"If you're looking for Zuko he's probably in his room. At least that's what Ty Lee told me."

"Thank you."

She took her hand off of my shoulder and I ran out of the ballroom. I asked passing servants where Fire Lord Zuko's room is. They pointed down the hall and I followed their directions. I stopped in front of huge double doors. I opened one and slipped into the room. Zuko and Ty Lee looked at me.

"Am I interrupting something?"

"No, you're not." Zuko said as he walked towards his closet.

"I should probably leave you two to talk." Ty Lee said as she walked out.

I took a deep breath before speaking. "You're angry, aren't you?"

"No, I'm not."

I flinched at the sound of the anger rising in his voice. "You can't lie to me. Zuko…"

"What?"

I took a few breaths. I hesitated, scared to say my answer. I wasn't exactly sure how he was going to react. "Yes."

"Yes what?"

I bit my lip and took a deep breath. I didn't know how to put it, but I came straight out with it before he yelled. "I'll be your Fire Lady." Silence. I took another deep breath and turned to leave.

"Wait." I stopped. My heart began to race fast, mostly because it was preparing for the yelling that was soon to come.

Zuko's P.O.V.

I stood with my shirt off. Glad that I was blocked by the closet so Malika couldn't see the expression on my face. Confusion and hurt. I wanted to yell at her for not deciding sooner, but decided that if I wanted her to be with me for as long as we both live, I shouldn't anger her. I shivered when I was hit with a breeze and I noticed the window was open.

"Yes?"

I snapped out of my thoughts at the sound of her voice. "I'm not angry. Disappointed, yes, but angry, no."

"Why are you disappointed?"

"For you not deciding the first time I asked you."

I heard her sigh. "I'm sorry, I was just really shocked and I didn't know how to respond. It's just…we know so much about each other and we only met not too long ago. So…I'm sorry."

I laughed to myself. "You have to stop apologizing so much." I slipped on a shirt and walked toward her to see her looking at the floor, hand on the handle of the door.

"I should just go. If you're not going to be at your own party I might as well be there."

"Don't. Malika, I can't stand to keep hurting everyone around me. I'm sorry if I hurt you."

"No, you didn't."

And with that she opened the door and walked out. I let out the breath I didn't know I was holding. If I go after her someone could catch me and drag me back to the party. If I don't go after her, she'll think she made a mistake in ever loving me in the first place. I could tell just by her reactions. It was worth it.

I ran after her and caught her just in time before she walked into the ballroom. "What do you want?" She asked, without looking at me. Anger and hurt rising in her voice.

"What I want is to find out why you just walked away like that."

"Why wouldn't I?"

"Because you know that you and I love each other but you don't want to admit it."

She looked at me, her blue eyes drowning me. She fell into my arms and I wrapped them tightly around her. I felt her shoulders slightly shaking. She was trying to hold in her emotions. The fire bender within her was trying to show. But I didn't want to see that part of her. I wanted to see a mixture of her water and fire bender self. Not too sad and not too angry.

"Does this mean you forgive me?" I whispered to her. She nodded and I held her tighter. I took out the necklace that was hidden in my pocket. She pulled away and stared at it. "Can I?" I asked.

She looked at me and smiled. Then she nodded and turned around. She pulled her hair over her shoulder. I put the necklace on her, but before she turned around I wrapped my arms around her and kissed her cheek.

"Don't we have a party to attend?" She asked.

I smiled, but didn't pull away. "I suppose…but we could always do something else like…run around the Fire Nation and forget about this party."

"Nice try. Come on, I actually want to go the party. Don't ruin the happy moment."

She grabbed my arm and pulled me inside. "You do know that I'm not wearing my crown or the appropriate robes, right?"

She smiled a devious smile. "I know."

My eyes widened. "Malika!" She laughed.

I tried my best to hide, but it was difficult when anyone could spot me from over a mile away. All they had to do was look for a teenage boy with a huge scar on the left side of his face. I stood next to Malika and tried hiding from passing by people. Malika leaned against the wall with her arms crossed.

"What are you so worked up about, Zuko?"

"What do you mean what am I so worked up about? I'm supposed to look like the Fire Lord, not a normal Fire Nation citizen."

"Relax, it's not like they're going to execute you. They can't, they don't have anyone else to take over."

"I don't care! What will everyone think if they see their new Fire Lord walking around at his own party wearing normal training clothes?"

"Did you ever think that if you calmed down instead of yelling you wouldn't bring so much attention to yourself? No one's looking now, but they would've sooner or later if I hadn't stopped you. Now, you can go change before people start looking for you."

I took a deep breath. "I guess you're right."

"Good, now go get changed…and leave your hair down."

"I can't."

"But if I'm going to be Fire Lady I should be able to make some changes around here. Starting with you being able to wear your hair down."

"But I need-"

"No back talk! Now go get changed!" I didn't argue. I just rolled my eyes and headed out of the ballroom. I was almost out just before I heard Malika say, "I saw that!"

Aang's P.O.V.

I sat next to Toph, looking around for Zuko. I had questions for him. _Many_ questions. "What's wrong with you, Twinkle Toes?"

I looked at her. "What? What would make you think anything is wrong?"

"Stop it already. I'm tired of all of you guys saying the same thing when I try to figure something out. Do you guys keep forgetting that I can feel heartbeats and tell if you're lying? You guys are sometimes clueless. So, what do you need anyway?"

"I need to ask Zuko something."

"About Sugar Queen?"

I raised an eyebrow. "How did you know?"

"You're seriously asking me that?"

"Sorry."

"I'll be back."

"Where are you going?"

"I said I'll be back. Just…don't leave." She got up and walked away, disappearing into the crowd.

Toph's P.O.V.

I walked deeper into the crowd. Trying not to hit anybody, but completely failed. My "vision" was blurry with so many vibrations going around. I found my way out of the crowd and stopped. I felt familiar vibrations. The vibrations of Malika. I walked towards her.

"Hey, Toph."

"Hey, where's your boyfriend?" I felt her heartbeat pick up. _Soft stuff._

"He went to his room to change. Why do you need him?"

"Aang has questions for him about…Sugar Queen." I hung my head low.

"Are…are you jealous?"

I snapped my head up. "What? About what? _I _don't get jealous."

"Toph, even I can tell you're lying to me and I don't have your senses. Tell me what's up."

"Nothing is up."

"Do you…like Aang?" I punched her in her arm. "Hey!"

"Tough Cookie, if you tell _anyone_ I swear you'll regret it."

"I won't tell anyone, I promise. So what are you going to do about Katara?"

"I don't think Sugar Queen has the same feelings for him. I know he loves her, but I think she only likes him."

"What about you? Do you like or love him?"

"In between?"

"Don't put it in question form. What is it?"

I sighed. "I think I…I think I love him." I turned away. Malika's heart began to pick up again.

"Oh Toph, I…I'm the only one standing in the way…aren't I?"

"What? What do you mean?"

"Zuko proposed to me and I said yes. If I never joined you guys his feelings would've stayed with Katara, same thing with her feelings with him. They would've been together and you would've been with Aang. That makes sense…"

"Don't blame yourself."

"But you and I both know it's my fault." I felt a different set of footsteps. One I knew too well.

"What's your fault?"

I no longer felt Malika's vibrations. "Zuko, put me down." I felt them again. "Nothing you should know. Go find Aang, he wants to talk to you."

"Why?"

"He has questions, Sparky! What more do you need to know? Now go find Twinkle Toes so he can ask you question after question after question." I said.

"Ok, fine. I'll go." I felt his footsteps get farther and farther away. "What am I gonna do, Malika? I mean, I could always go without being with someone. Lonely for a long time."

Malika's P.O.V.

I felt bad for Toph. I could tell that she's never felt like this about anyone and Aang was the one. But I was in the way. And Toph knew it, she just didn't want me to feel more guilty than I already am. "You're my friend, Toph. So I'm gonna make it up to you."

"What are you doing?"

"Making things right."

I took off my betrothal necklace. I held back the tears knowing that I was giving away everything from being free. I was going to leave it all behind. All of my new friends. I walked back over to the group of friends. Before Katara said anything I pulled her away from everyone.

"What's wrong?"

I stopped her and took her hand. I put the necklace in her hand and folded it around so she couldn't see it until I left. "It's yours now. I've only been in the way of everything. I messed it all up and I'm sorry I ever did that. I want you to always think of me as a sister, no matter what." I looked at her one last time before leaving the ballroom. Leaving the hallways. Leaving the palace.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Malika left! OMG! I feel bad for Toph and Zuko and a sad part is i made myself leave. Eh, oh well. but really if this happened in real life i would've done just that because i want my friends to b happy nd as long as they're happy i'm happy. Well, let me know what you guys think.


	10. Chapter 10

**Author's Note: **I'm so sorry guys. i hope you saw my message on my profile. For some reason every time i'd go to post a chapter there was an error and it wouldn't ket me post or anything. And then now i am and i'm happy. I'll try to make it up to you. i'll post chp 11 tomorrow and i'll post quickly. but school starts back up on monday, so...

ok, i obviously ticked off some people about what i did last chapter. but i really wuld do tht if it meant better things for my friennds. thn again, wat i just experienced yesterday wit my friends after being gone for a week, they'd miss me too much. lol. so, i hope this chp makes up for Malika's leaving.

* * *

Katara's P.O.V.

I stood there frozen. Not knowing what just happened. I looked at my hand and unfolded it. I stared at the trinket that sat there. The betrothal necklace that Zuko gave to Malika. I looked up, hoping that she was somewhere in the crowd. No, she was gone. _How could she do this to him? Zuko loves her and she loves him, but why would she suddenly change her mind again? _I didn't want to hurt Zuko, but I had to tell him. I walked over to him and Aang.

"Hey, Katara." Aang said, beaming at me.

"Hey."

"Zuko and I were just talking about what we were going to do for our last time together. We decided to go to Ba Sing Se tomorrow and hang out there. Go to Iroh's tea shop."

"That's great. Um…Zuko can I…talk to you for a sec?"

He looked confused. "Um…sure." We walked away from Aang.

"I really don't want to have to do this."

"Do what?" I took his hand and turned it face up. I put the necklace in it and slipped my hand away. He stared at it before closing his eyes and tightening his grip around it. "How?"

"She gave it to me."

His eyes snapped open. "She what?"

"She gave it to me and apologized. And then she was…gone. Just left."

He closed his eyes and shook his head again. "Where's Iroh?"

"I haven't seen him. But he's probably where the tea is." And with that he took off. And with that I regretted telling him that Malika left…for good.

Zuko's P.O.V.

I passed by people. Everyone tried to stop me and ask me questions or try to dance, but I only responded by saying that I had to do something important. I found my uncle right where Katara predicted. "Uncle."

He turned around with a cup of tea in his hands. "Nephew. What a surprise. What is the matter? You seem…confused. You haven't been confused in…quite a while."

"I am confused. Malika left."

His eyes widened. "What do you mean she left?"

"I mean she's gone. She left." I held up the necklace.

"This is bad."

"What's even more confusing…she gave it to Katara instead of giving it back to me."

"She gave it to Katara? What for?"

"She gave it to her and apologized. For what, I don't know. Katara didn't tell me that."

"Come with me." He grabbed my arm and pulled me away. We stopped in front of two guards. Uncle faced them. "We need to start a search party for Lady Malika. She has left and we need her back here."

The guards nodded and walked off to tell other guards. "Do you really think we'll find her?"

"Yes I do. But now I am guessing that you would rather stay here than go to Ba Sing Se."

"I need to stay here. If she doesn't want to be here I at least have to find her and say goodbye."

He nodded. "Well, the party seems to be ending. The room is clearing away. I am going to my room to get some rest. You go straight to your room when everyone is gone. Understood? You will need the rest after what you've been through tonight."

"Thank you, Uncle."

"Of course." He smiled and walked out of the ballroom.

I took a deep breath and slipped the necklace into my pocket. I walked back to everyone. I spotted Toph and pulled her away. "Hey! What do you want, Sparky?"

"To know what Malika said to you. What were you guys talking about?"

"Nothing that you need to know." She crossed her arms and turned her head.

"Toph, please. I need to know. Malika left, giving her betrothal necklace to Katara."

"So that's what she meant by making it up to me."

"What are you talking about?"

She took a deep breath and turned her head back. "I told her about…who I like."

"Who?"

"Twinkle Toes."

I kept my laugh to myself, knowing that it was serious. "Ok. What does this have to do with Malika leaving?"

"She tried to help me because Aang likes Katara. She started blaming herself, saying that if she never joined Katara could be with you and I could be with Aang. Making everyone happy and all of this being a happy ending and blah, blah, blah. Before she left me by myself to go talk to Katara, she said she was gonna make it up to me. I guess that's what she meant."

"She blames herself for everything? I can't believe I let this happen. Thanks, Toph. You and everyone are going to take my uncle to Ba Sing Se. I'm staying here to look for her."

She punched me in the arm. "That's the spirit. I guess this is goodnight because I'm tired. I'll see you in the morning to say bye."

"Ok."

And we went our separate ways. The ballroom was clear of people. All of us went our separate ways to our rooms. I took off my armor and shirt and slipped into bed, wishing that the spot next to me wasn't empty. Wishing that where my heart is supposed to be wasn't empty.

I woke up and bolted upright in bed. I looked out the window. I over slept. The sun was high up. Everyone should be starting to leave. I got out and slipped on a shirt. I ran out of the room and out of the palace just in time to see everyone putting their things on Appa.

"There you are, Sparky. I thought I was going to leave without getting a goodbye from my favorite friend."

"You don't have to lie."

"Good, because I hate lying." She smiled and ran over to me. I embraced her tightly as if she were my own sister. But that is how she felt towards me. If only Azula were like her. "Bye, Sparky."

"Bye, Toph. I think I'm gonna miss you the most." She pulled away and punched me before getting on Appa. I said bye to everyone else and suddenly stopped. "Where's Katara?" I asked.

"I'm right here." I turned around.

"What are you doing? Where's your stuff?" Aang asked.

"I didn't pack. I'm staying here." "What!" Aang and I asked in unison.

"I said I'm staying here. Zuko needs someone to help him look for Malika."

"That's what I have guards for." I said.

She glared and rolled her eyes. "But are any of them one of your best friends?" I looked away. "I didn't think so. I'm staying here whether you like it or not."

"But Katara, you have to come with us. Why not see Ba Sing Se one last time before we go our separate ways?" Aang whined.

"Calm down, Twinkle Toes. I don't think Sugar Queen is the same girl you saw when you woke up. She can do whatever she wants. So let's go, I'm tired of being here. Even though Ba Sing Se's no different."

Sokka walked up to Katara. "Katara, are you sure this is the right thing to do? What about home?"

"It's not like I'm staying here for the rest of my life."

Sokka had an unsure look on his face. "Fine, but I'm coming to get you soon if not a month. Understand?"

"I'm not a little girl anymore, Sokka."

"I just want you to be safe."

She hugged him. "I know that's what I have Zuko for. Now go before it gets too late." They got onto Appa. Katara and I stood next to each other as we waved and watched Appa fly off into the distance. "So, when does the search start?"

Katara and I were in my office. "Where do you think she could've gone?"

"I don't know. She's your girlfriend. You should know where she is."

A guard came into the room. He bowed down. "Any luck?" I asked.

"No, your highness. We're still looking. No one has seen any signs of her. They say the last time they saw her she was being taken away by a young man in a dark cloak and she disappeared."

I smiled to myself, remembering the day we met. That same night we talked. I snapped out of my thoughts. "Thank you, keep up the search. Look around everywhere. Lady Katara and I will look through the main town. You're free to go."

He bowed again and walked out. "Zuko, don't worry. Come on, we should start our search now."

"The guards won't let me out. At least not without any of them surrounding me."

"Then we'll sneak out. Come on, just like old times."

I couldn't help but to smile. "Fine, we will. But what will they say when they find out I'm gone?"

"Oh well. You can explain when you get back. Now hurry. The faster we leave the more time we have to find her."

"Alright, I'll be back." I walked out of the office towards my room.

Katara's P.O.V.

I waited for Zuko to finish up. He finally walked out of his room wearing his clothes he used when he traveled with us. "There's the Zuko I know. Now let's go." I grabbed his arm and pulled him away. We didn't run into any guards and we easily escaped.

We began walking through town. "It feels like it's been forever since I've walked these streets. I feel like…who I was before. Who I was when I joined you guys."

"That's good isn't it?" I asked.

He smiled. "Of course it is. I wouldn't be where I am now if it wasn't for you guys."

I smiled and we continued walking. I looked around, hoping to recognize the long black haired girl with eyes as blue as mine. "We should ask some people around. Separate and get more information faster." I said.

He nodded and walked away to a small group of people. I stopped at a fruit stand. "Excuse me. I'm looking for someone with long black hair and blue eyes. Around my age."

The man frowned. "This isn't a place to find people. This is a fruit stand. If you aren't getting fruit then leave."

I turned around. "Cranky." I murmured. I stopped and spotted an elderly woman who looked nice enough to help me. I tapped her on the shoulder. "Excuse me."

She turned around and smiled at me. "Why, hello there. Do you need something, dear?"

"Actually yes. I'm looking for someone. A girl around my age. Jet black hair and dark blue eyes. Happen to have seen her?"

"Now that you mention it, that description is catching on. I did see her, but I don't…I don't remember where she went. She was carrying a basket of food and she left."

_She needs food. She's a runaway. She'd be on the streets. She has to be. _I bowed down. "Thank you."

"Of course." She walked away and I ran over to Zuko. He looked at me.

"Find anything?" I asked.

"No. You?"

"I think so. A woman saw her, but she doesn't know where she went. But, Zuko, just think. She ran away from home, she has to be on the streets. She can't be anywhere else."

"Then we'll search the streets." We took off running.

It's been hours since we've been out. The sun was setting and there was still no sign of Malika. "We should head back. We've done enough searching for the day." I said.

"What if she's no longer here? What if she took a boat somewhere? Like back to the South Pole?" He looked at me with worry in his eyes.

I averted my gaze. "I don't know, but we can't give up searching here. Come on, we should hurry."

We walked back to the palace without saying another word to one another. We got in and Zuko went straight to his room. I wanted to talk to him. Tell him everything was going to be ok. But I couldn't. I'd only be making things worse.

One Week Later

Zuko's P.O.V.

I heard a knock on my door. I sat up in my bed and rubbed my eyes. "Come in."

Katara walked in. She closed the door. "Get dressed. We're going out."

"Why don't we just give up the search? We've looked everywhere."

"Zuko, just listen to me and let's go. You have ten minutes."

"Or what?"

"Or we're giving up for good. Now get up." She walked out.

I took a deep breath and heavily let it out. I stood up and walked over to my closet, putting on something comfortable. I walked out of my room and Katara was standing there. "Ok, what now?"

"I got permission from your guards and the sages. They said you can go out today."

She grabbed my arm and dragged me down the hallways and out of the palace. We ended up back in town. "I'm tired of searching. I hate giving up, but it's the only way."

"No it's not. Come on." She pulled me deeper into town where everyone lived.

We walked through and we stopped in front of one house. "What are we doing here?"

"I'm not entirely sure, but someone said they saw Malika come in here." She knocked on the door.

A few seconds later a middle aged woman opened the door. Her eyes widened. "Fire Lord Zuko." She bowed. "Is there anything that I can be of assistance?" She stood straight.

I was about to speak when Katara beat me to it. "We're looking for someone named Malika. Have you seen her?"

The lady looked confused but turned around. "Malika!"

"What?" My eyes widened when I saw Malika standing in the doorway. Her hair hung over her shoulder and I found myself drowning in her eyes. She had a hurt and confused expression, the expression that stood out the most was disappointment. "Mom, can you…give us a minute?"

"Of course." The lady walked away.

Malika walked out and closed the door behind her. "What are you doing here?" She asked, crossing her arms and looking away. Her black hair fell in her face. I tried not to smile.

"We've been looking for you for a week now."

"Why?"

"What do you mean why? Why do you think?"

"I did what I had to do."

I looked at Katara. She understood and walked away. I looked back at Malika. "It's not what you had to do."

"It was to help Toph."

"But this isn't about her! This is about us."

"You know, I'm really getting tired of your stubbornness!"

"Like I care."

"I think you do." She said looking at me.

"You're right, I do care. I care about you and I can't live without you."

"I'm not the one."

"Yes you are."

She shook her head. "Zuko, I…I can't go back. I'm trying to make everything right."

"What's right is for you-"

"Don't say it. I can't stand it. You're only hurting me more than I already hurt myself," She put her hand on my face and quickly kissed me. "I love you, I really do. But we can't be together."

"Why?"

She slipped her hand off of my face. "I don't wanna talk about it. I have to go."

"Don't, I can't lose you again."

"Zuko, this is how it's supposed to be. I was never supposed to meet you guys. Toph likes Aang but Aang likes Katara and Katara likes you and you like me and…I don't know. I'm probably just saying crazy things but what I do know is that it was my fault. If I never came around you and Katara could've been together and Aang and Toph could've been together and…that necklace doesn't belong on me it… it belongs on Katara. Zuko, please you have to listen to me. We can't see each other anymore. We…no matter how much it breaks me…we can't even be friends anymore. I'm sorry."

Before I could stop her she quickly opened the door and rushed inside. Slamming the door in my face.

Malika's P.O.V.

Tears found their way out of my eyes. I leaned against the door, crying. "Is everything ok, Malika?" My mother asked.

"No! Everything is not ok! How could you do this to me?"

"You brought this on yourself. You know who you are. This is the right way to go."

"No it's not. I'm in love with the Fire Lord, but I can't marry him because of this stupid arranged marriage you're putting me through!"

I didn't let her respond. I quickly ran past her and into my room. Slamming the door. I fell on my bed and buried my face into my pillow. Wishing that I could just suffocate myself so I wouldn't have to go through all of this. But it was for the best. My sixteenth birthday was coming up. I'd be at marrying age, but I was already engaged. I'm royal, it's for the best. On my father's side at least. How? I don't know. My mom told me that we were partially royal, which means when the time comes I have to marry and take over my place. Or it's something like that. That was the second reason I left Zuko. That was the main reason. If this never happened I would be with Zuko, no matter how much I cared for the little blind earth bender.

I just didn't understand my mother. Zuko is the _Fire Lord_. He should be the one my mother wants me to marry, but of course the marriage was arranged years ago. I sat up and punched the wall with a fiery fist. I pulled it away to face a hole. I picked up the ring that lay on the small table by my bed. I threw it at the door and screamed. I looked up, tears streaming down my face.

"I hate you!" I yelled. To know one in particular, but maybe the Spirits. Mainly it was to everyone who made my life difficult. My mom, my brother, my dad, Zuko…even myself.

Zuko's P.O.V.

I sat on the ground with my head in my hands. I felt a soft hand on my shoulder. Katara's hand. "Come on, you've had enough for the day." She helped me up. I heard the door open and turned around.

Malika's mother stood there. "I think you should leave now. I mean no respect when I say that you are never to come here again. My daughter is forbidden to speak to any of you."

I stopped her from closing the door. "I demand to know why."

"It is personal."

"Everything is my business now."

She hesitated. "She is to be married. Her sixteenth birthday is coming up. She needs to marry. That is all."

I stopped her again. "You're not telling me everything."

She hesitated again, looking away. "We're partially royal and she must fulfill her duties. She is already engaged. I am sorry. You must go now."

She closed the door before I stopped her. Katara pulled on my arm. "Come on, you'll find someone. I know it."

"But none of them will be like her."

I saw her smile. "I know, but…things never last." We walked. I suddenly stopped when I saw movement at the corner of my eye. I turned my head to the left. "What? What is it?" Katara asked, concern rising in her voice.

"I don't know. Come on." I pulled her through the alley.

"What is with you and being so curious?" She asked.

I smirked. "Don't act like you're not curious." I stopped when I noticed something about what I saw. "Malika?"

The figure stopped and turned. Her long black hair flowing in the wind. "So now you're following me? That's not gonna change my mind."

I stared at her. I could tell she had been crying. "I never said it was. Your mother told me already. Why didn't you say anything?"

She crossed her arms and looked away. "I didn't think you should know. Now you know the second and the main reason why we can't be together."

"But we can. You're royal, I'm royal. And who is the guy that you're marrying?"

"No one important."

"Are you just saying that or is it the truth?"

She looked at me. "Both. I really don't know. He's a jerk."

"So is Zuko." Katara said. I ignored her.

"Malika, you don't have to. Many royal people have gotten out of arranged marriages. You can too." She seemed to have relaxed.

I let go of Katara's arm. "Please?"

She seemed to have hesitated and I saw something in her eyes. She slowly walked over to me, her watering. I wrapped my arms around her and she put her head against my chest. She was crying.

"I'm so sorry." She whispered.

I tightened my arms around her. "It's ok. Does this mean you won't have second thoughts when I ask you a third time?" I pulled out the necklace.

She looked at it. "You won't tick me off?"

I smiled. "I'll try not to."

She nodded. I put the necklace on for her and hugged her again. "Ok, I think we should go before Malika's mom comes looking for her." Katara said. The three of us took off running back to the palace.

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**Author's Note: **Malika's back! See? i can't stay away too long ;]. u know, i have many many many chps written down already, but i'm still stuck because there's stuff i wanna take out and stuff i wanna add. i need ur guys' help. plze.


	11. Chapter 11

**Autthor's Note: **ok, so Malika came back evn though she went through a whole dramatic scene. i'm a difficult person, i know. nd i'm letting u know how difficult i am through malika. lol. i hope u guys like this chapter.

* * *

Malika's P.O.V.

I was happy to be in the place that I belonged. I was with my best friend and my lover. I sat in the garden, staring up at the night sky. I took a deep breath. "Having fun?"

I smiled. Not looking at the person that the voice belonged to. "Yes, I am. I'm happy. I finally escaped that prison cell. No longer have to live with my mom and I don't have to go through that stupid marriage. I'm happy that you came looking for me and took me away from there."

He sat down next to me. "I'm glad you're happy."

"Yeah…happy. I still feel like I'm messing up something."

"Malika, I thought we weren't going to talk about this."

"I know." I turned my attention to the pond and bended a ball of water. I held it in my left hand and formed a ball of fire in the other. I held it in front of Zuko. "Hold it." He took the ball of fire and held it in his hand. I dropped the ball of water and held up my hand.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"We're going to burn each other so we know that we belong together and that nothing can separate us. Being fire benders we should try to ignore the pain."

"This is the most stupid idea you've ever had…but also the smartest."

I smiled. He brought his right hand that held the ball of fire to my left hand. When our hands made contact I felt the burn. I tried as hard as I could to ignore the pain. I closed my eyes tightly. Zuko's fingers intertwined in mine and the flame died. I opened my eyes and pulled my hand away. I looked at it and studied the burn.

"Can't turn back. We're permanently together." I said. I saw him smile.

"I wouldn't want it any other way."

"So…the wedding. When is it?"

"I think we should go to Ba Sing Se for it. Everyone else is there. Our friends."

"I think that's smart. We should go tomorrow."

"Tomorrow? That's on such short notice."

"It should give us enough time to plan the wedding. It is a long journey."

"What if we call Aang to pick us up on Appa?"

I shook my head. "If we take a ship to Ba Sing Se we have…more time together."

He smiled. "I like that idea." I leaned closer and kissed him.

"You two love birds should go to bed. It's getting late."

I pulled away and looked toward the door. Katara stood there with a smile planted on her face. "Shouldn't _you_ be asleep? I mean, you are younger than us."

She rolled her eyes. "Just go to bed before the guards come out." She walked away.

"She's right. And I think it would be better if we go to the room." Zuko said. I smiled. We stood up and walked to his room.

I fell back on the comfortable king sized bed that Zuko had. My robe flew open, but the cool air that escaped felt good on my bare skin. I didn't want to leave the bed. I was about to fall asleep when I felt a poke my side. "Falling asleep already?"

I laughed and opened my eyes. I stared into two pools of gold. "Yes, I am. I'm tired. Long day."

"There will be longer days to come if you're going to become Fire Lady."

I smiled. "I suppose…but with all the work you're going to do I won't be able to see you as much."

Both of our smiles faded.

"Don't worry about it. I'll find as much time as possible for you." He leaned in and kissed me. I put my hand behind his head and deepened the kiss. A knock on the door made Zuko and I pull back from each other. The door cracked open.

"Can you guys keep it down? I can hear you kissing all the way from down the hall." Katara's voice filled the room. Zuko and I laughed. "It's not funny. Some people are trying to sleep. I didn't say you had to stop, just keep it down."

The door closed. "Wow, she's funny." I said.

Zuko looked at me. "What?" I asked.

"Nothing, it's just…you." I smiled and brought him back down to me.

Zuko's P.O.V.

I woke up with my arm around Malika's cold body. She wore her under clothes and tons of blankets were on her, but I tried to ignore the coldness of her. I looked out the large window as the sun made its way in. _She should be waking up soon. _She shifted and moaned. I leaned close to her ear. "Good morning."

She laughed, but it was weak. "Morning."

"Sleep well?"

"Kind of."

"Kind of? Are you ok?"

"Still really tired."

"Go back to sleep."

"Can't. I don't feel good. I feel really uncomfortable."

"Look at me." She turned around and I stared at her. Black rings circled her eyes and her eyes were red. She looked even paler than she naturally is and she was freezing. I sat up and she coughed. I jumped out of bed and grabbed her robe. I put it on her. "I'll be back. Try to heat up."

I ran out of the room and down the hall. I stopped in front of a door and pounded on it. "I'm coming, I'm coming." Katara opened the door with tired eyes. "It's really early, what do you want?"

"Something's wrong with Malika. She looks terrible and I don't know what's wrong with her."

Her eyes widened and she took off running toward my room. I followed her. We ran through the doors and stood there. Malika was lying on the floor. She was on her back, her legs at an awkward angle. "Malika!" Katara and I ran over to her side. I picked up her head and lay it in my lap. Her breathing was awkward.

"Can you do anything?" I asked Katara, not taking my eyes off of Malika.

"I don't know."

"There's water by the window." She stood up and went to get the water. I pushed Malika's hair out of her face. Her gaze stared blankly into space. "Malika. Malika, you need to look at me." Her gaze found mine, but quickly left. "No, you need to keep looking at me. Try." Her fingers moved, but slowly.

Katara came back over with the bowl of water. She sat beside us. She covered her hands in the water and rested them on Malika's chest. "Her lungs are weak, I can feel them. She's having trouble breathing." She put her hands on Malika's head. "Not a lot of brain activity." I started to panic. She put her hands on Malika's stomach. "I…I can't tell what else is wrong with her."

"We need Toph and Aang."

"They're in Ba Sing Se."

"Send a messenger hawk. It's the fastest way."

She nodded and stood up. "I'll be back. Make sure she doesn't close her eyes." She ran out.

I picked up Malika and laid her on the bed. I lay beside her and she looked at me. "Zuko…" I grabbed her left hand and looked at the burn that represented us being together.

My eyes began to sting. I rarely cried, but I couldn't hold it in. A tear fell down my face. Malika's eyes began to close. "No, Malika you have to stay awake." I tightened my grip on her hand and she responded by snapping them open.

"I have to. I'm so tired cold."

"No, don't. Katara will be back, she'll try to heal you, ok?" She slowly nodded. "Come here." I moved her closer to me and wrapped my arms around her. I controlled my body heat, not too hot but just enough to keep her warm. "Is that better?" She laid her head on my chest and nodded. I held her tighter.

"I'm scared." She whispered.

"Of what?"

"I don't know. I'm just scared."

"Don't be. I'm right here, ok? Just don't close your eyes. You have to stay awake." She nodded against my chest.

The door opened, but I didn't look up. I easily knew it was Katara by the way the door slammed shut. She was panicking as much as I was. "I sent the messenger hawk. Is she ok?"

"Yeah, just…cold. I'm trying to keep her warm."

"I'm gonna run some water in the tub. We'll put her in. It'll be the fastest way I can heal her." I nodded. A few minutes later I heard the water. Another few minutes passed and it stopped. "It's ready!" Katara called.

"Malika, come on." She nodded. I sat up and looked at her form. She was getting paler. I stood up and picked her up. I carried her into the bath room.

"Heat up the water while I take off her robe." Katara said. I nodded. I put Malika in a chair and walked over to the water I put my hand in it and heated up my hand as much as possible. I looked at Malika and Katara. Katara untied Malika's robe and slid it off, leaving on her under clothes. "Is the water ready?"

I stopped heating my hand and felt around. It was warm enough. "Yeah."

"Ok, help me put her in."

I walked over to them. Katara took her legs and I wrapped my arms around her waist. We lifted her and walked over to the tub. "Easy." I said.

"I know what I'm doing, Zuko." She carefully put Malika's legs in the water and I sat her down.

"What now?"

She ignored me. "Malika?" Malika looked at Katara. "Can you bend at all? Can you try to heal yourself?"

Malika shook her head. "I'm too weak. I…can't."

"Ok, I'm gonna heal you. Ok?" Malika nodded. Katara put her hands in the water and it began to glow. Malika looked away; the rings around her eyes were becoming darker. "I can't sense what's really wrong. It's going to take a lot more healing. We'll be up all night. She needs to stay in here…Zuko, I need you to do me a favor."

"What?"

"I need you to send another letter to Aang. Tell him that he needs to go to the North Pole and get me water from the oasis."

"The same water that healed him?" She nodded without looking at me. I could tell she was thinking of Ba Sing Se, just like I was. But I pushed the past behind me and focused on what was happening now. "Ok, I'll be back." I ran out of the bath room and ran to my office.

As soon as I sent the letter I ran as fast as I could back to the room. I ran in there to see Katara still working on Malika. "Anything?"

Katara shook her head. "Nothing. Not even the slightest change." I sat on my knees near the tub.

I grabbed Malika's hand and she looked at me. "I'm…I'm not gonna…make it. I already know."

I squeezed her hand. "Don't say that, you're going to make it. Katara's going to help you. Ok?"

She only shook her head trying to smile. "Zuko, you need…to understand this."

"All I understand is that I've already lost someone important to me in my life. I'm not going to lose another." She blinked and a tear fell down her face.

Katara's P.O.V.

I stayed up for a day straight trying to help Malika. I had to constantly keep her from closing her eyes so she wouldn't fall asleep and never wake up. Zuko never left her side. Not even when the guards came to tell him that he needed to attend an important meeting last night. Zuko's only response was a glare and a demand that they tell the council that he wouldn't make it until he knew for sure Malika would be ok. Malika's breathing was back to normal, but she was still really sick. I let her rest her eyes, but only for a few minutes. I looked at Zuko. He was still holding Malika's hand, but he was asleep. _He really loves her, and I'm happy for him. _I turned my attention back to Malika to find that she was looking at the ceiling.

Her eyes found mine and she smiled weakly. "I'm not gonna make it, am I?"

"Malika, don't say that. I'll do whatever I can to make sure you stay alive." I heard a small knock on the door. "I'll be back." I stood up and walked to the door. I opened it and faced a guard. "Yes?"

"Lady Katara, I am sorry to bother you, but Lady Bei Fong and the Avatar are here."

"Already? Wow. Um…will you send them in please?"

"Of course." He bowed and walked away.

I closed the door and rushed back to Malika's side. I put my hands back in the water and it began to glow again. A few minutes later the door creaked open. I turned around and saw Aang and Toph walk in.

I smiled at them. "Hi guys."

They walked over to my side and sat beside me. Malika tried to smile at them, but it obviously didn't come out as planned. She looked up at the ceiling. "Do you know what happened?" Aang asked.

I shook my head. "Not a clue. She's been like this since yesterday. She was actually worse. The only thing that's better is her breathing."

"Is there anything I can do?"

I closed my eyes. "That's what I'm afraid of. I don't think we can do anything."

Aang looked at Zuko. "How's he doing?"

"He hasn't left her side. He's really scared. No matter how well he tries to hide it I can easily tell. I haven't slept at all. I rarely let Malika rest. I don't want her falling asleep and she doesn't…" I couldn't finish the sentence. I could easily say it in my mind, but not out loud.

Toph walked over to the other side, and Malika looked at her. "Come on, Tough Cookie. You have to get healthy again. Who am I gonna make insults with or spar with while I'm here?"

Malika grinned. She grabbed Toph's hand. "Don't worry, Toph. There's no need to worry." A tear fell down Toph's face. I didn't need to be her to know she was lying. There's a lot to worry about.

I let Malika rest for a few minutes. Toph and Aang stayed sitting next to me and Zuko finally woke up. Toph quickly walked over to Zuko and hugged him. He returned it. Burying his head in the crook of her neck. He was scared to death. I could tell by looking in his eyes. "We'll get through this, Sparky. We're strong. I know we'll get through this."

I looked at Aang. "Aang, did you ever get the spirit water?"

"It should be on its way."

"What are you talking about?"

"I sent a messenger hawk to get it. By the look of the letter I could tell you guys were panicking so I had to get over here fast."

"You're a smart kid."

He smiled. "It should be here if not tonight then tomorrow."

I nodded. "That's fine. I'll stay up again if I have to."

That's exactly what ended up happening. I stayed up all night. Zuko and I were the only ones still awake. "Katara, do you think she'll make it?" He choked on his words but managed to get them out.

"I'll do whatever I can, Zuko. I won't give up, understand?"

He closed his eyes and nodded. "I believe in you, Katara."

Tears fell down my face. Not at the fact that he said that, but at the fact that if she didn't make it I'd blame myself. I'd blame myself even if no one else did. I snapped my head up when Malika coughed. "I'm so sorry." She whispered.

"For what?" She only shook her head. Her eyes began to slowly close. "Malika? Malika!" No. She wasn't breathing. She wasn't moving at all. I took my hands out of the water. "She's…no. No, she can't be! I…I-I was…she was…" I couldn't form any words. Malika…was…gone.

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**Author's Note: **Do u guys hate me for killing myself off? i kinda feel bad for myself but...yeah. sry. but i guarentee u THIS ISN'T THE END! no way am i stopping here at my own death...tht sounds weird, but..anyway. i know u guys r gonna yell at me if u review. i don't mind. i'll respect them, but still laugh. a lot of u guys make me laugh, u shuld b happy tht u make me laugh.


	12. Chapter 12

**Author's Note: **Ok, some of you were probably disappointed at what i did at the end of the last chapter. Others probably think i'm crazy or "unhealthy" *raises eyebrow at SapphireMoon10 * lol. anyway, i hope this chapter makes up for it.

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Katara's P.O.V. (continue)

There was a knock on the door. Zuko got up, slowly letting go of Malika's hand. He answered the door. "Fire Lord, a message."

"Thank you." The door closed. Zuko sat next to me.

"What's that?" I looked at the cylinder shape in his hand.

"I don't know." He uncapped it and tilted it. A blue and silver vial rolled out, the cap was a crescent moon.

"The spirit water." I said. He handed it to me.

"What will that do? It's too late, she's…"

"These few drops do wonders, Zuko. It's going to bring her back. It has to. It brought Aang back."

I bended out the spirit water and it quickly spun in the air. I pressed the water to Malika's chest. It sunk into her skin and we waited and waited and waited. A few minutes later there was a flash of blue and Malika's eyes snapped open. The dark rings around her eyes were gone. She wasn't super pale anymore and her breathing was as normal as can be. She looked around, breathing heavily. She slowly sat up and looked at Zuko.

"Malika?"

Malika smiled, and it was a strong one. "Zuko!" She quickly, but carefully jumped out of the tub. Zuko grabbed her into an embrace. She was…alive.

Malika's P.O.V.

I tightened my arms around his neck and his arms tightened around my waist. I was soaking wet, but neither of us cared. I was hanging on a thread that snapped, but Katara brought me back…and I was happy to be in Zuko's arms again. I looked at a smiling Katara over Zuko's shoulder. "Thank you." I said.

"What happened?" Aang woke up and his startling voice woke up Toph.

"What's going on?" She asked.

Of course they were asleep. And that was good. They didn't have to know that I actually died. "Malika's up…and no longer sick." Katara said.

Aang stood up and ran behind me. Throwing his arms around both me and Zuko. I might've been crushed, but it was because I was being hugged by relieved friends. Aang and Zuko finally let go of me and I hugged Katara. "I don't know how to thank you enough."

"You don't have to. It was no big deal."

"It was a huge deal. I almost died, but you prevented that from happening. Thank you." I let go of her and ran over to Toph who surprisingly hugged me tightly.

"I'm glad you're ok, Tough Cookie."

I heard the strain in her voice. She was holding in her tears. "Toph, you're so brave and confident. I love you like the sister I never had. Thank you so much."

"What about me? I saved you!"

I laughed and rubbed my eyes, pulling away from Toph. "You're like my sister too, Katara." She smiled. I ran over to Zuko and hugged him again.

"I'm glad you're ok." He whispered. I slightly pulled away and kissed him.

"I might be glad that you're ok and everything, Tough Cookie, but could you two do that later?"

I pulled away. He put his hand on my face. "I'm so glad you're better."

A tear fell down his face. I wiped the tear off his face. "Zuko, are you…"  
His eyes widened. "What? No, I just…I-I have…uh…something in-in my eyes."

"Yeah, they're called tears, Sparky. You're feeling emotional." Toph said.

"What are you talking about?"

I turned his attention back to me. "I think it's cute." He smiled.

"All this worry has made me hungry. Can we go eat now?" Toph asked while walking out of the room.

"The real Toph is back." I said.

"Sadly." Zuko said. We walked out with his arm around me. I was back. I was safe. I was with friends who really care for me.

Aang's P.O.V.

We sat in the dining room and ate. I stayed away from both Katara and Toph. I stayed away from Katara because I didn't want to tell her I didn't love her anymore. She must have feelings for me somewhere and I didn't want to break her like she broke me once…or multiple times, I should correct myself. I stayed away from Toph because she told me everything and I didn't react to her response. I had no idea that she liked me and…I wished I knew that a long time ago. I sat next to Malika and obviously my behavior didn't go unnoticed.

She put a hand on my shoulder and I looked at her. "You feeling ok?" She asked. Worry filling her eyes.

"Of course. Why wouldn't I be?"

"You seem…worried about something. And you're staying away from both Katara and Toph."

"You know about Toph, don't you?" I whispered. She nodded. "Can I talk to you for a second about it?" I asked. She nodded. We stood up. Zuko looked at us with a confused look. Malika put a hand on his shoulder before we walked into the hallway. "Ok, so how do you know?"

"Toph told me."

"When?"

"The night of Zuko's coronation. That's why I ran away. So you could be with Toph, and Katara with Zuko. If I hadn't come into the picture it would be like that."

"Why would you do that?"

"You're making it sound like it's a bad thing."

"Well…I'm not saying it's a bad thing. But…you could've told me."

"I wasn't supposed to tell you."

"You still could've let me in on the plan and maybe this wouldn't be happening." My voice began to rise, as did Malika's.

"Like I said the first time. I wasn't supposed to tell you. That would've ruined the whole thing!"

"Is there a problem here?" We turned to see Zuko standing there with a surprised look on his face.

"No, there's not a single problem. Just talking." Malika said, crossing her arms and looking away. Her robe was tightly tied around her and her hair was still damp from being in the water. We stayed silent for a while.

"Uh…you guys should come back and eat. Your food is getting cold."

"I lost my appetite." Malika said while turning around and began walking down the hall.

"Yeah, so did I." I took the other hall and just walked down until I ended up who knows where.

Toph's P.O.V.

I played around with my food while Tough Cookie and Twinkle Toes were arguing in the hall. When the yelling had stopped I sunk down into my seat, knowing what they were talking about.

"Are you ok?" Katara asked.

"Uh…yeah. The guy I like is totally confused about the fact that I like him. Yeah, there's nothing wrong at all."

"I was only trying to help."

"Yeah? Well did you ever think that you try to help too much? Maybe you should lay low on the helping and help yourself. Teach yourself how to stay out of peoples business!" I didn't mean to yell, but that's how it came out. I didn't know what else to say, so I stood up and walked out. "Hey, Sparky." I mumbled as I passed him.

"Where are you going?"

"Who knows? Who cares?" I muttered, sounding miserable.

I know I shouldn't have yelled at Sugar Queen. She was only trying to keep us all together like she's been doing, but it did get annoying and she needed to respect peoples personal, private problems. She was never like that around Sparky. She used to bug him around. Begging him to tell her what was wrong. Finally he'd cave in and she'd start asking more and more questions. That's kind of how it was with everyone, but because Sparky had more problems it was usually him that she bothered. When it came to getting in my business, I'd end up being a stubborn, angry hog-monkey. I should actually compare myself to a dragon being in the Fire Nation. Make me annoyed and angry then compare me to a dragon. Who'd be scarier? Probably me. Well, I guess I'm even with a badger-mole. I did learn from them so I guess I picked up on their stubbornness.

I found my room (how? I didn't know). I walked in and closed it behind me. I fell on my bed and huffed. "Life sucks."

"Tell me about it."

I jumped at the sound of the second voice. I touched the ground and finally felt the pair of vibrations coming from the other side of my door. "What do you want, Twinkle Toes?"

"Nothing. I just happened to have passed by and heard you say life sucks. And you're right. It does suck." I sat there, startled by what he said. Twinkle Toes rarely agrees with me unless he's really depressed. "Can I come in?" He asked.

"Why not?" The door opened and closed. I felt extra weight on my bed. "I'm letting you know it's going to get really quiet because of the tension and awkwardness." I told him.

"I kind of figured that." And like I said it had become really quiet.

Malika's P.O.V.

Who knew that the Avatar could make people angry? Wasn't he supposed to keep balance? I sat on Zuko's bed. Well, I guess it's my bed or almost my bed. I shrugged. I wrapped my arms around myself and pulled my knees to my chest. The door opened and I looked up.

Zuko stood there looking at me. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah, just thinking."

He closed the door and walked over to me. "Thinking about what?"

"Nothing, or…nothing important." He stared at me. "Zuko, I'm fine."

"Ok, it's just that…everything is starting to…break apart I guess you can put it. Everyone left Katara in the dining room."

"Why didn't you stay with her?"

"I told her to go to her room since everyone else did that."

"Well, I'm perfectly fine. I just…need to rest." The room grew silent. I avoided Zuko's gaze, knowing that he was looking at me.

"What were you and Aang talking about?"

I shook my head. "Nothing. Don't worry about it."

"If it's about Toph, I already know."

"Just forget it. I'm going to go practice in the garden. I need to be alone for a while."

I stood up and walked out of the room. I walked down the quiet hall, passing by few guards and servants. I walked out into the garden. I took a deep breath, my lungs filling with the nice cool air. I walked over to the tree. I rested my hand on it and closed my eyes. "I'm sorry." I opened my eyes and turned around. Aang stood a few yards away with a hurt look on his face.

"For what?"

"For yelling at you. I guess I was just…confused. Confused about everything and I just…don't understand any of it."

I walked over to him and wrapped my arms around him. He hugged me back. "It's ok. Things have been…messed up around here lately."

"Got that right."

I pulled away. "Now don't yell at me again. Just because you're the Avatar doesn't mean I won't beat you up."

He smiled. "I talked to Toph and things might…actually work out between us."

"That's great, Aang. Now go get some sleep. You look tired." He smiled and walked off. I took a deep breath and got into a stance. I began to practice my fire bending.

Zuko's P.O.V.

I lay down, staring at the ceiling. Malika had been gone for hours now. I got up and slipped on my robe. I walked down the halls and out into the garden. I stopped and watched as Malika was still practicing. I looked down and shook my head. I looked back up and walked toward her. I put my hand on her shoulder. She turned around, fist fired. I grabbed her hand to stop her. She looked at me and relaxed. "Sorry, you just scared me." She said, her eyes drifting away from my gaze.

"You need to sleep."

She looked at me. "I'm fine. Wide awake."

"Malika, sleep. Come to bed. You need the rest after everything you've been through today…or yesterday seeing as the sun will rise soon."

"I'm not tired."

"First you were tired and now you're not. Malika, go to bed. Go!"

She pulled her hands away. "I told you, I'm not tired." She turned around and her back faced me.

I sighed. "Malika, please. I don't need you getting sick again. You almost died, and I'm not gonna let that happen again."

I put my hand on her shoulder and turned her around. She didn't look at me. Her eyes were red and her cheeks were wet. She was crying. "I'm sorry." She whispered.

I pulled her into a hug. "Come on, let's get you to bed." I still held onto her and we walked back to the room.

I laid her on the bed and pulled the covers over her. She closed her eyes. I walked over to the other side and got in. I lay on my back.

"You ok?" I looked at Malika. She was looking at me with worry in her eyes.

"Yeah, I'm fine." She smiled and closed her eyes again. I stared at her a little longer before my eyes closed. Thinking of how things could change with her around.

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**Author's Note: **I CAN NEVER STAY AWAY! lol. you're probably all mad at me, whatever. i can't be mad back at u cuz guess what? MY BIRTHDAY'S THIS FRIDAY! yes. april 15. It's also my friend's bday, my other friend's mom's bday, mona lisa's bday and the day abraham lincoln died. and it's tax day. but yes, i'm happy. and no, i don't have a special bday thing for Malika...or do i? I didn't originally plan it, but i might put something in there.


	13. Chapter 13

Ok, quick explination so i can get on to chapter 14: i was grounded, my computer got a virus. Ok! all good. I hope. Last chapter...wat happened? Well you guys know. Hope you like this chap.

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Zuko's P.O.V. (continue)

"Zuko, wake up."

I opened my eyes to see blue ones. "What? I was trying to sleep."

"Oh well, get your lazy butt up and lets go."

"Where?"

"Ba Sing Se. We're going soon."

"Ba Sing Se?"

"Yeah. Ring a bell? Isn't that where we agreed to hold the wedding?"

I smiled. "Yes."

"Then get up and pack. We're taking a ship."

"Why not an airship?" I asked, sitting up.

"Because, I like being on the water. I hate flying. Makes my stomach all weird."

"It's barely different than Appa."

"Still. I'm not taking any chances. Hurry up, you're the only one not packed." She got off the bed and walked out of the room.

I rubbed my face and got up. I grabbed some bags and began packing everything that I'd need. After I finished packing I slipped on decent clothes. I grabbed the bags and walked out of the room. I walked down the silent halls, making my way outside. Everyone was standing next to their bags; all waiting for me. They looked at me and smiled.

"We're taking Appa, just to get over the side. And then we'll drop you guys off at the docks." Aang said.

"You're not coming?"

"Not now. I can't. I have to go to the North Pole for some time. But I'll be there for the wedding. I promise."

"You better be." Malika said, elbowing him in his side.

They picked up their bags and set them on Appa. Then we got settled and we flew out of the capitol. In a few minutes we were already at the docks. We got our things and got off. We set down our things and said goodbye to Aang.

"I'm really gonna miss you guys for the time I'll be gone. But I'll see you soon. I'll be sure to be there on time."

Katara lunged at him and hugged him tightly. "I'm gonna miss you. I feel like I'm saying goodbye forever. I've watched you grow up from a goofy kid, to a mature teenager. Becoming the Avatar and fulfilling your duties." She let go of him.

"It won't be forever, Katara. Remember that. I'd never stay away from you guys forever." They smiled.

The next person was Sokka. "I'll see you in the big city, buddy. Just a few weeks. Only a few. Barley any fun. No air bending…how am I gonna get through this? I can't be without you, Aang! I need you to make my life interesting."

Aang put a hand on Sokka's shoulder. "Don't worry."

Suki and Toph hugged him at the same time. "Be careful." Suki said. She let go of him, leaving him and Toph.

"What am I supposed to do without you by my side, Twinkle Toes? You're my opposite. I need you here. Besides Sokka, I can't make any sassy remarks at anyone."

They hugged again. "Don't worry. When I get back you can make all the sassy and insulting remarks you want at me."

"I'd like that."

They let go and Malika hugged him. "If I find out that you were hurt or even touched up there I'm coming to kick someone's butt. Understand?"

"As loud and clear as a saber-tooth moose-lion's roar."

They let go and it was my turn. "You better be in Ba Sing Se soon. I'm only trying to help you. If I were you and I was late I rather be killed up in the North Pole than by Malika. So be there as fast as possible."

"Of course. I can't disobey the Fire Lord." I quickly hugged him. We all grabbed our bags and got onto the ship. We waved goodbye to Aang one last time before the ship pulled away from the docks.

Malika's P.O.V.

I walked down below where all of the rooms were. "All the way at the end of the hall and down the stairs. It's the only door."

I turned around and looked at Zuko. He was smiling. "What?"

"Where your room is. Or I should say our room. It's all the way at the end of the hall and down the stairs. It's the only room down there."

"Thanks." I began to walk, but Zuko stopped me.

"I'll take them for you."

"Zuko, I can carry them."

"No, I insist."

I rolled my eyes. "Fine." I set them down. "But first," I grabbed his collar and pulled him closer to me. "You really do know how to treat me like royalty."

"Who said I didn't?"

"It was just a thought." I kissed him. I pulled away and smiled. "I'll be on the deck." I let go of him and walked back upstairs.

I breathed in the smell of seawater. "It feels nice being out on sea, doesn't it?" I turned around and saw Katara. She was holding her arms and had a sad expression.

I walked over to her. "What's wrong?"

She didn't meet my gaze. "I miss him already. He's my best friend and…I can't believe he's gone."

"It's not like he's gone forever."

"I know, but still. We've never been this far away from each other for a long time. There was this one time…but it was only for a few days. This is gonna be weeks, maybe even over a month."

"You'll see him at my wedding."

"If he comes. He might be too busy."

"You have us."

She looked at me and smiled. "I know. And I'll always have you guys. Even after we separate. You and Zuko will be in the Fire Nation. I'll be back home with Sokka. I don't know where Toph will be. And Aang will be all over the world…again…without us with him."

"Katara, don't worry. Aang is a strong kid. Come on, maybe some water bending will take your mind off of things. Let's spar."

We were both in our training/under clothes. We faced each other, standing a few yards away. Katara started with a giant wave heading toward me. I bended the water into a circle around me and aimed it at her. She bended the water apart and it went past her. She bended more water and froze them into daggers. She aimed them at me. I unfroze all of them and the water fell. I bended some water and lashed it at her. It hit her on her arm.

"Hey! That hurt!"

"Suck it up! You're a master water bender. Deal with it. I already know you've been hurt worse when the war was going on. So just suck it up like a woman." I lashed more water at her and she raised it over her head.

"I'm only fourteen!"

"My point has been proven."

She rolled her eyes. I aimed a water whip at her and grabbed her leg. I pulled the water and she slipped and fell. "Hey!"

I brought my arms down and stood straight and tall. I felt like her trainer, for some reason. "You weren't paying attention. Don't lose concentration. Keep your eyes on your opponent. Sparring over." I grabbed my clothes and slipped them on. In the corner of my eye I saw movement. I grabbed water and aimed it at the form. The water wrapped around its waist. "Not so fast." I pulled the form out of the shadows. "How long were you watching?" I dropped the water.

"When you guys first started." He responded.

I rolled my eyes and walked over to him. "Spying isn't healthy."

"But you've spied before. I know it just by reading you. You're as easy as a child's book."

"The book part, not true. I'm a challenging book. The spying part is pretty true. I was never a healthy person so you can't say anything." I grabbed him by the collar and pulled him closer.

"Why do you always pull me like that as if you were threatening me?"

"Because I'm threatening you with love, not hate." I kissed him.

"I'm standing right here." Katara said, annoyed. I gave her a thumbs up, not pulling away from Zuko. "I'm going to go find Toph." She walked away.

"Your room awaits you, princess." He said between kisses.

I smiled and rolled my eyes. "Lead the way, Fire Lord." I pulled away.

He grabbed my hand and dragged me behind him. "I specifically chose the room. Just for you. It's special." We walked down below to where all of the rooms were. But we continued. We went down another flight of steps and down a smaller hall and stopped in front of a door. "I hope you like it." He whispered. I smiled. He opened the door and I was breathless.

The room was huge, probably bigger than the others. It was covered in various reds and blues. My eyes landed on the window. A huge window that took up that whole wall. It was a view of the underwater world. I forgot the whole room and only focused on the window. I walked closer and touched it. Smoothing my hand on the glass. I couldn't pull my gaze away from the wonderful view. Arms wrapped around my waist.

"Just don't get angry down here. Not only do I need the room to be on fire, but I also don't want it flooded and the ship ends up sinking."

I laughed. I turned around and looked at him. "It's perfect. And I'll try not to get mad. This is too beautiful to even get mad. I can't believe it." I turned back to the window and watched as fish passed by. I felt warm lips on my right cheek. I giggled. "Stop it, will you?" I asked.

He laughed. "What's wrong with a kiss?"

"Nothing." I whispered. I turned around and kissed him. His hands found my waist.

"I'll come back later." I looked up to see Sokka standing in the doorway with his hand over his eyes. Zuko turned around. "And why are you here?" I asked.

"I needed to talk to Zuko, but I'll come back later."

I looked at Zuko then back at Sokka. "No, it's fine. You two can talk. I'll go find the girls." I walked toward the door and stopped by Sokka. "Thanks a lot." I whispered sarcastically. And I walked out.

I found the girls in Katara's room. They looked at me and smiled. "Hey, Malika. I'm surprised you're not making out with Zuko right now." Katara teased.

"Ha ha, funny. I was, but your brother interrupted."

"That must've been embarrassing."

I sat down on her bed. "It was. They had to talk about something. I don't know what they had to talk about."

"Probably some things they're going to do for the after party after the wedding. You know, all the guys get together and do whatever they do." Toph said.

"So, when are you and Sokka getting married, Suki?" I asked.

She blushed. "Knowing Sokka he's going to wait another eight years or something." Katara said. We all laughed.

"What are you guys laughing about?" We turned around to see Sokka and Zuko standing in the doorway.

"That was a fast talk."

Sokka shrugged. "It wasn't supposed to be a long one."

"Well, now that you two talked the four of us will talk. Without you here. So leave. Go talk about…weapons or whatever." I said.

"Ok! Let's go Zuko." Sokka pulled on Zuko's arm.

"Hey!"

They left. "So, what are we talking about?" Toph asked.

"Who knows? We're just talking."

"I know something we can do to pass the time. Let's go spar. My metal bending is approving a lot more." Toph stood up.

I shrugged. "Fine by me." We all stood up and walked out.

The four of us got into position on the deck. I cracked my knuckles. Toph made the first move. She bended out a hunk of metal from the deck and aimed it towards Suki. She jumped over it. Katara aimed a water whip at Toph. It hit her on the side of her head.

"Ow! That hurt, Sugar Queen! And no fair! I can't see."

"Try!"

I threw a fire ball at Suki. She jumped to the side. She ran toward me and tried to hit me on my side. "Ty Lee has been giving me chi blocking lessons. It helps a lot." She jabbed her fist toward my side. I backed up.

I bended out some water and aimed it toward her. She landed on her back. I bended out more water and grabbed her ankle with it. I dragged her and aimed her toward Katara. Katara wasn't paying attention and Suki hit her. She tripped and fell on her stomach.

"Malika!"

I laughed. Then I felt something hot on my back. "Ow!" I swiftly turned around and tried hitting my attacker. He grabbed my wrist.

"Don't hurt me."

I rolled my eyes. "Don't do that to me." I playfully hit his arm.

He let go of my wrist. He smirked. "Nice one by the way."

I smiled. "Thanks."

A sharp pain filled through my back. It began to sting. I turned around and glared at Katara who had just dropped her water whip. She was still lying on her stomach. "Oops. Did I hit you?"

I rolled my eyes. "I'm being attacked by both of my elements in the same area. No fair." I elbowed Zuko in his stomach.

"Hey!"

I laughed and walked toward Katara and Suki. I helped both of them up onto their feet. Suki quickly jabbed me in my side, and twice on my left arm. "Hey!" I fell back, but was caught by Zuko. I couldn't move.

I glared at Suki. She crossed her arms. "That's what you get." And with that she walked away.

"She is some woman." I heard Sokka say as he walked over to the rest of us.

"Yeah, some woman. You can gawk at her later. Can you just help me gain feeling back into my body please?"

"I don't know how to do that!"

I rolled my eyes. "Do something!"

He picked up my arm and pinched it. "Did you feel that?"

"I can still feel pain, Sokka. I just can't move."

"Oh. Then you should recover in a few minutes. She didn't block your last chi which cuts off everything. She just cut off your muscles so you can't move." We all stared at him confused. "She taught me a few things about chi blocking. A little jab there and a jab here and you're down."

I began to move. I stood up. "And a little jab there and _you're _down." I pushed him and he fell.

"Ow!"

* * *

The six of us ate dinner on the deck. The light of the full moon shone down on us. I took a deep breath and the ship rocked. "Careful, Tough Cookie. You're gonna knock us over board and I can't swim." We all laughed.

"Sorry, just…soaking up the moon."

"And then you soak up the sun, and then the moon, and then the sun. We get it. The moon and sun gives you power. Can we just…eat?"

We all looked at Sokka. He didn't look back at us. He poked at his food. "Are you ok?" Suki asked, putting a hand on his arm.

"Yeah, just fine." He put his food down, stood up and walked away.

I looked up at the moon. I thought I saw something, like an expression in the moon. I closed my eyes and opened them, and the…face disappeared. I stood up and ran after Sokka. I found him in one if the halls sitting down. I sat next to him. "You miss her, don't you?"

He looked at me. "Who?"

"Princess Yue. You miss her."

He put his head back down. "Yeah, I really do. I wish I could've done more to save her."

"You did what you could." We stayed silent for a while. "She'd want you out there. She wants to see you smile, see you happy. Don't make her sad. If you do…I guarantee you it's gonna start raining."

He looked at me and smiled. We stood up and walked back out to the deck. No one was talking when we got back. We sat down and continued to eat. Everyone looked at us confusingly. "Did anyone ever tell you that it's rude to stare?" I said. They all went back to eating. I looked up at the moon and could've sworn I saw it smile.

I stood in front of the window, watching the many creatures in the underwater world. "You're coming to bed soon, right?"

I didn't turn around. "Of course I am. I just…have a lot on my mind."

"Like what?"

I stared into the depths of the ocean. "Nothing, just forget it. It's nothing important."

"Then come on, it's late. We need to wake up early enough to start planning." I sighed and turned around. I walked towards the bed and sat down. "You need to say what's on your mind."

"Nothing. I just…I just need to sleep on it. Um…yeah, I'm just tired." I fell back on the bed.

Zuko hovered over me backwards. I stared into his eyes. "Rest." He covered my eyes.

I smiled. "Ok, fine. I give in. I'll go to sleep. On one condition."

He removed his hand from my face. "And that condition is?"

I grabbed his face and pulled it down. I kissed him. I felt him respond more passionately, but I pulled away and shook a finger in his face. "Not tonight. It was just a quick kiss." I smiled and got under the covers next to him. "Goodnight, Fire Lord."

I huffed and the candles went out. "Goodnight, princess." I rolled my eyes then closed them.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Corny, i know. But i hope it was to your satisfactory.

Ok, so i've started writing a modern version of avatar and i'll post it soon. If any of u are Zutarians u should read it. And if you like Malilka (u kind of have to if you're reading this) u should also read it evn though she doesn't come until later. But yeah. i'll let u know wen i've posted the first chapter of it unless u've added me to your author's list.

Please review!


	14. Chapter 14

IT'S BEEN TOO LONG! and i'm sorry about that. But now i have a lot written so i should hopefully post faster. i have no excuses what so ever so just...work with me. ok? Thank you! Enjoy!

* * *

Zuko's P.O.V.

I opened my eyes and stared at the ceiling. I took a deep breath and looked at Malika. She was still asleep. There was a full moon last night, so it must've kept her up. The full moon. Katara got her power from the full moon. I wonder if she was up all last night. Most likely. I got out of bed and slipped on my shirt. I took one last glance at Malika before walking out of the room and up the stairs. I found Katara's room and knocked on the door. A few minutes later she opened it. I only stared at her. Her eyes were red. She had been crying. Why? I had no idea.

"Are you ok?"

She looked away. "Yeah, just fine. Couldn't sleep last night. What do you want?"

"I just came to check on you. Malika is worn out from the full moon last night. I figured you were too."

She looked at me. "Yeah, but I'm fine." She looked away again.

I stared at her. "No, you're not." She broke down crying. I grabbed her and pulled her into a hug. "You have to tell me what's wrong." I whispered. She shook her head. I walked into her room, still holding her. I closed the door and leaned against it. Her arms tightened around my waist. "Katara, please. I want to help." I whispered.

"There's nothing you can do." She managed to choke out.

"Why?"

"Just forget it." Her crying picked up. Her whole body shaking. I tried to calm her down, but nothing seemed to work. I walked over to the bed and sat down.

Katara's P.O.V.

I held onto him more tightly. I've never felt so scared before. That dream. It was frightening. To most people it probably would've been nothing. But to me…it was a nightmare. I couldn't get it out of my head as much as I tried to. Aang. It was about Aang. About how lost I was without him. I had everyone else, but he made my life exciting. Adventurous. Full of something to live for. Without him…I felt like I was nothing. I dug my face deeper into the crook of Zuko's neck. Just wanting to disappear. I could no longer be here. After a few more minutes of my crying I finally calmed down.

"Now will you tell me?"

I sniffed. "I had a dream. It frightened me. I don't know why. It just…I can't explain it. It was about…how lost I am without Aang here. My life has fallen apart and I just…I don't know." I held on to him again as if I were going to fly away if I let go.

"It's ok. It was only a dream."

"More like a nightmare."

"Is everything ok in here?" The door opened. Malika stood there. She had a confused look on her face.

"Katara had a nightmare. I'm only comforting her."

She walked in and sat on the other side of Katara. "Your heart hurts, doesn't it?" Malika asked. I nodded. "I know the feeling. But yours is more…mental. Mine is both mental…and physical."

Zuko and I looked at her with a confused look. I pulled away from him. "What do you mean?"

She looked at Zuko, raising an eyebrow. "What?"

"Get out, that's what."

"Why do I have to get out?"

"Because I'm about to tell Katara something."

"We're getting married, are we not?"

They glared at each other for a while. Then Malika sighed. "Fine. I guess, but only for that reason." She looked down and clasped her hands together. "There was this…guy a long time ago."

"Maybe I should go."

"No, you said yourself. We're getting married. You'll learn these things later in the future, might as well start now. It's nothing super terrible. Just…a little story about my old love life."

"I'm out of here."

He stood up, but I grabbed him. "She's your fiancé, whatever she wants to tell you you're going to found out."

"Didn't I _just _say that?"

I looked at Malika. "Not helping."

Zuko sat back down, closed his eyes and sighed. "Fine, just get it over with."

She took a deep breath. "Before I get into full detail I'll just start with: I broke my vow."

Zuko opened his eyes and looked at her. "What vow?"

"That I would never love again. I've lost many important people to this war. I once loved…many years ago. When he died…I wanted to cross out my heart. And of course I told myself that it was forever broken and would never mend again. I vowed to myself to never love again. Thinking I'd never find anyone that would…see me as me."

"And you ended up finding a jerk who loves you for you." Zuko elbowed me. "Hey!"

She clapped her hands. "Yeah. A broken vow."

"Wouldn't you have broken the vow if you went through that arranged marriage?"

She shook her head. "I vowed to never love again. I never loved the man I was to be married to. Not even like. This is…actually the second time. I had a relationship with someone else before Zuko. It was pretty hard, but…I took care of myself." We stayed silent for a while.

Malika's P.O.V.

My head was in my hands as I over thought things. My head began to hurt, but I couldn't stop thinking. I yawned and fell back on Katara's bed. She and Zuko had been playing some card game Iroh taught to them. They were sitting on the floor.

"Why don't you play this game with us? It's interesting." Katara said.

"And boring." Zuko added.

"Oh, big deal. It gives us something to do…fire!"

"You can't do that!"

"Yes I can. It's in the rules. Iroh said so himself."

"Well I say you can't do that."

"It's not your game! So deal with it and make your move."

"Air!"

"No fair!"

"It is fair!"

I rubbed my face and groaned. "Can you guys ever do something without having to bicker?"

"No!" They both yelled at me.

"Ok, ok. You didn't have to yell at me. Geez." I sat up and looked at their game. "What exactly are you doing that's supposedly wrong?"

"He thinks he knows everything."

"I do know everything!"

"No you don't. Just because you're the Fire Lord doesn't mean diddly doo-dah."

"Really? Diddly doo-dah? Who says that anymore?" She threw a card at his head. "Ow!"

"Don't underestimate me. We're on a ship at sea. I'm a master water bender. You don't want to get me mad!" He threw a card at her and it hit her shoulder. "Hey!" She jumped up and tackled him.

"You've got to be kidding me." I said, falling back on the bed. I heard growls and yelling in pain and throwing each other against the walls.

"What's with all of the noise?" The door burst open. I sat up and saw Sokka standing in the doorway.

He was staring at Zuko's and Katara's awkward fighting moment/position. Katara was holding him down with her legs, one hand grabbing his hair the other in a fist about to punch him. Zuko was pulling her hair with one hand and the other was grabbing her throat.

Sokka looked at me. "You're ok with this?"

"I'm not part of it."

He nodded. "Ok, I'll just leave you two with…whatever you're doing. Just don't kill my sister." Sokka walked out and closed the door.

Then Katara punched Zuko in the chest. He grunted. He threw Katara behind him and she hit the door. "Ow!" She sat up and stretched. Her bones popped. "Alright, I give up. Let's try to get through a game without killing one another. Ok?"

Zuko rubbed his chest. "I think I need to…settle down for a while."

I rolled my eyes. "Come here." I said. He stood up and walked over to the bed and sat next to me. "Lift up your shirt."

"Why?"

I slapped his hand. "Because I said so!" He took off his shirt. I pressed on his chest and he flinched. "You punched him pretty hard." I said.

"Serves him right." Zuko tried to jump at her, but I held him back. "Stop. Control your anger, Zuko." He took a deep breath and relaxed. I pulled water out from a bowl and began to heal his chest. "Is that better?"

His eyes were closed, but he nodded. A while later I stopped. "Thank you." He said.

I nodded. "Now, try and play a game without killing one another. I wanna see how long you two can go." They got back on the floor and started a new game.

The game was going on for a while now. I watched them carefully. "You can't put that there." Zuko said.

"Why not? You're allowed to. Fire goes over air. I'd think you'd agree."

He rolled his eyes. "How does fire go over air?"

"Air makes fire worse because it only pushes it further and makes it stronger from the oxygen in the air. Yeah, that's right. I can be smart. So deal with it and play a card." Zuko set air on water. "You can't put air on water. Air makes water stronger!"

"How?"

I rolled my eyes and shook my head. "I'm not gonna survive much longer." I muttered.

"Because air makes waves bigger, pushes the water on shore. Use your brain, Zuko."

"This is getting boring. Do something else." I stood up and walked out of the room.

"Malika!" Zuko called after me.

"What? You guys are boring me. I'm leaving."

"No! Um…meet me in our room."

"Why?"

"Just go."

"Ok, fine. Whatever. So demanding." I walked down the hallways, down the stairs and into our room. "Why does he want me in here? I have no clue. He's just…" I sighed. I felt arms wrap around me. "Ok, why did you want me in here?"

"You don't know? Come on. We've been trying to have our own privacy, but we end up getting interrupted."

I raised my eyebrows. I turned around. "Ok, so? What's your point?" He shrugged. "There's got to be some reason. You can't just tell me to come down here so we can 'have our privacy' and not even say anything."

"I can't think of anything."

"Try."

"No." He kissed me.

I put my hands on his chest and pushed him back. "Enough for once." I said with a smile.

He laughed. "Ok, fine. I'll stop…for now."

I laughed and playfully hit him. We sat down on the bed together. "You're dangerous." I said.

"So are you, but that doesn't stop you." I rolled my eyes. He leaned in and kissed me. There was a knock on the door.

"Can you guys stop kissing for one second and help me?" It was Suki.

I pulled away. "What is it?"

"You guys need to start planning."

I fell back on the bed. "You heard her. Go plan."

"She said us. That means me and you."

"No, in girl talk 'us' means the guy. So goodbye."

"No, you're coming with me." He picked me up and threw me over his shoulder.

"Put me down! You know I hate be carried!" I pounded on his back.

"Stop hitting me or I'll drop you."

"Go ahead and drop me!"

"No!" He opened the door.

"Um…am I-"

"Don't ask. What do you need?"

"You two need to start planning," Suki said, still staring at us awkwardly. "We'll be in Ba Sing in a little over a week. You need to make invitations, and design the wedding and make the wedding dress and…everything."

Zuko sighed. "Let's go."

"Put me down first and I'll go."

"I'm not putting you down."

"Zuko! Put me down!"

"No. I'm not going to." I set my hands on his bare back and heated them. "Hey!" He let go of me.

I stretched out my arms and broke my fall, but I flipped over onto my back. "Ow." I whispered. The floor was cold on my back and my head began to hurt. "Can you help me up?" I asked. It came out hoarse. Zuko turned around and grabbed my arms. He pulled me up. "Thanks."

"Don't do that to me again."

"I had no choice. You wouldn't put me down."

"I'm gonna be stuck with you forever, aren't I?"

"Until one of us dies." I walked passed him and all the way upstairs to the tower floor.

Iroh was playing Pai Sho with one of the crew members when we got there. "You seem to be getting better, but you will never beat me at Pai Sho." Iroh said as he made a move.

"No one can beat you at Pai Sho, Uncle."

Iroh laughed. "I wonder why that is."

"Are you gonna help us?"

Iroh stopped playing the game. "And miss the planning of my nephew's wedding? Why would I miss that? Game over. Try again next time." Iroh cleared the Pai Sho table and the four of us sat down.

"First thing's first. One of us has to make the invitations." Suki said. I grabbed them and passed them to Zuko.

"Why do I have to make the invitations?"

"Because you know everyone _and_ you're the Fire Lord. So you're making invitations."

"Why can't you make them?"

I sighed. "Because I'll have to use my official title as Princess Malika. And I don't like my real title."

He rolled his eyes. "Fine, I'll make the invitations."

"Well, we've got the invitations cleared. Next thing. Decorations. We need to order a few things." Suki said, looking at the three of us.

"What do you mean order?" I asked.

"The theme. Fire Nation, Water Tribe or both."

"Why can't we just do all four nations? Aang should be able to find a few things from the Air Temples to use, right? Or he could use earth bending to make Air Nomad sculptures."

"Not a bad idea, I suppose. But even doing that, merchants around the world have Air Nomad artifacts and it's too expensive. Unless, the Fire Lord can find a way to get everything free."

"I'm the Fire Lord, I can get you whatever you want. I guess that's two things I have to do. Do I have to do the next?" Zuko asked.

"Actually, the next one is all me and Malika. Katara too, if she wants to help."

"If I want to help with what?" We turned around to see Katara, Toph and Sokka walk in.

"If you want to help design Malika's wedding dress."

"Why wouldn't I? Of course I want to help." Katara sat next to me.

"What about me? Can I help? I need something to do." Sokka said.

"You can help make invitations to people Zuko doesn't know."

"Fine, I'll make invitations."

"What about me? Just because I'm blind doesn't mean I can't do anything."

"The wedding is most likely to be outside. Maybe you can use earth bending to decorate."

Toph dropped down to the floor. "I'm fine with that. Maybe I can even make sculptures of Malika and Zuko."

"But you don't even know what we look like." I said, rolling my eyes.

"Finally, someone understands me being blind." She waved her hand in front of her face.

"Ok, another thing is the food and everything."

"I'll do that!" Iroh practically yelled.

"Uncle, no."

Iroh pouted."Why not?"

"Because you're going to only have tea and nothing else."

"Just because I love tea doesn't mean I'll only make tea. I can make roast duck. Everyone loves roast duck."

"Not me." I said.

"What? My own soon-to-be-niece-in-law doesn't love roast duck?"

"No, sorry. I've been trying to become a vegetarian. Aang has actually inspired me and seeing as I love animals it makes sense."

"What!" Sokka yelled. "You can't become a vegetarian. It's not right." Katara hit him.

"Don't worry, it hasn't exactly happened yet."

"And it better not happen. Zuko, make sure she stays with the meat. Don't let her become a vegetarian."

"But she'll kill me." Zuko argued.

"It's worth it! The world can't survive without meat."

I formed a ball of fire in my hand. "But it sure can survive without Sokka." I held the fire up to his face.

He backed away. "Hehe, I was only kidding, Malika."

"You better have." The flame disappeared.

"Ok, so Iroh will take care of food and drinks. Just not too much tea and roast duck." Suki said, trying to make it clear.

"I think I can manage." Iroh replied.

"Alright, we've got everything that I can think of. If any of you have any ideas just come to me. Katara, Malika, if you'll follow me we can start designing dresses." The three of us stood up. "Iroh, you can start writing down ideas of foods and drinks. Zuko, before you and Sokka make the invitations write down the names of people you think you should invite then come to us for approval. Toph, just…think about what you should do. Ok? Alright. We've got planning to do people. Let's go!"

We all went our separate ways. We went into Suki's room. "I finally get to spend some time with you guys. But, this is important for Malika. She's marrying someone she loves and isn't forced into it." Katara said.

"Thanks. Ok, you guys. I just want a plain wedding dress. I mean you can have designs on it just no…color. I don't want you guys to make me fell home with red and blue. I just want this white."

"What about purple?" I glared at her. "White is fine. White is a…good color. I bet it looks good on you."

I rolled my eyes. "Can we just plan?" So, Suki and Katara began to sketch out dresses as I threw out ideas.

Zuko's P.O.V.

Sokka and I were out on the deck because he specifically said "fresh air helps you think". Personally I didn't think anything helped him think better.

"Well, who would've thought that you'd be getting married so quickly? Feels like just yesterday you nearly destroyed the Southern Water Tribe."

"Uh…yeah. Did I ever apologize for that?"

"You apologized when we went to the Boiling Rock. Don't worry about it. So, have anyone you want to invite?"

I thought for a minute. "Is it weird to invite Mai?"

"Duh! She's your ex-girlfriend. I doubt she wants to come to your wedding."

"But she's the one who said that I could stay with Malika. We technically got her approval, it's nice enough to invite her so she'll at least know we're still friends."

He sighed. "Fine, we'll invite your ex-girlfriend. Anyone else?"

"It's best to invite Malika's mother."

"Don't they like…hate each other?"

"Malika hates her."

Sokka stared at me for a while before putting down Malika's mother on the list. "Ok…find any news about yours?"

I looked away. "No, I haven't. And I wish she'd show up already. This is the time that I really need her."

"Maybe if she's still out there she'll find out about the wedding and come to Ba Sing Se and find you."

I looked at him. "Do you really think that's a possibility?"

He nodded. "How about we get your mind off of that and back to the invitations? Anymore people?"

"I didn't exactly have a lot of friends…Ty Lee! She'd want to come."

"Ok. Well, let's see. Does Malika have any friends?"

I glared at him. "She grew up on the streets."

"Still. Ok, fine. We'll invite other people. My dad, Gran-Gran, the Swamp People, King Bumi, the Earth King, The Boulder, Hippo…other people."

"There are a few…but they still don't know my true identity."

"Is this when you were an outcast in Ba Sing Se?"

"Yeah. Kind of. There was Song…and then there was Jin…they were pretty close and they don't even know who I am."

"Well, don't invite them. You'll break their hearts. You obviously had a thing with them."

"No I didn't!" He gave me a look. "Fine, there was a small thing with Jin. That was it. It was one date and one kiss."

"Uh-oh. Yeah, you're not inviting her. Ok, so…what?"

"Just bring up names. There's gonna be some people who come to mind." And we thought and thought and thought, and very few people came to mind.

Malika's P.O.V.

My eyes were closed as I tried to tune out the bickering between Katara and Suki. "Maybe we should ask Malika what she wants." Suki said.

"You're _just_ figuring that out? It's _my_ dress so _I_ should be the one to decide what _I_ want." I opened my eyes. "Show me the designs." Suki handed me the papers. I looked over the designs. "Most of these are good…except for the third page. Shows too much. Maybe if you just cover up those spots it'll look good. The fifth one is beautiful. I love the top half, just the bottom half is too…fluffy."

"I thought you'd like the fluffy." Katara pouted.

I shook my head. "You know, now that I think about it, it should have color."

Suki's eyes lit up. "What colors do you want?"

"Blue."

"Only blue, nothing else?" Her spirit went down a little, but her eyes were still full of excitement about the color.

"Blue and white. That's all I want. I'm gonna leave you two to make more designs and edit the others. I'll be back." I stood up and walked out.

I walked down the hall, my hand on the metal wall. I walked deeper into the ship. I came across a door. I raised an eyebrow and put my hand on the handle. I turned the knob, but the door wouldn't open. I tried even harder, but it still wouldn't budge. "Now what would he keep hidden in here?" I heard something from up the stairs. I turned around and ran back down the hall. I stopped and turned back around. I slowly walked backward and bumped into something. I turned around and nearly screamed, but my mouth was covered by a hand.

"Calm down."

I relaxed at the familiar face. He removed his hand. "You scared me. What are you doing down here?"

"I should be the one asking you that."

I sighed. "I thought you were making invitations with Sokka."

"I was. And then we took a break. So what are you doing down here?"

"I needed a break from Katara's and Suki's bickering. They're fighting over how to design the dress. So, how're the invitations going?" We sat in the hall.

"We don't know who to invite. You really don't have anyone to invite and neither do I. We don't really have many friends considering what's happened."

"You're right. But, you do have friends. Everyone that came to your coronation. They appreciate what you did for them. I think they'd come to your wedding. The Fire Lord's wedding. Who wouldn't come?"

"I guess you're right about that."

I nudged him. "I am right. So go make invitations. I need to…head back to the girls."

"I can take you back to them."

"No, it's fine. I know my way." We stood up and went our separate ways. But instead of going back to Suki's room, I went to go look for Toph.

I found her in the control room with Iroh. "Toph, I need you."

"Well, hello to you too, Tough Cookie. What do you need?"

"I need you, that's what. Come on." I grabbed her and pulled her away.

"Hey, what are you doing?"

I pulled her deep into the ship and found the door again. "I need you to unlock this door."

"You're gonna get me in trouble."

"When has that stopped you?" I put my hands on my hips and stared down at her.

"Good point." She brought out her meteor bracelet and shaped it into a key. She put her hand on the door and found the key hole. She put in the key and tried to unlock it.

"Hurry up, Toph."

"I'm trying."

I heard a click and the door swung open. There was a huge, cold wind that came out. My hair blew into my face. The wind was gone. I looked back at the rom. It was pitch black.

"Can you feel anything in there?" I asked.

"There's something, but I can't make it out. Don't worry, it's not an animal or anything. Can I go now?"

"Uh…yeah. Sure, I'll see you later." She walked off.

I formed a flame in my hand and walked into the dark room. The room was cold and damp. It must've been unused in years. I closed the door behind me. I found a chest in the middle of the room. I walked over to it and sat in front of it. It was black with golden rims. I opened it. I pulled out the first thing I saw. A picture of a woman. She was beautiful. Long black hair and dark eyes. She looked familiar, but I couldn't make out why. I set the picture aside and pulled out the next one. It was a picture of a family. Mother, father, daughter and son. Zuko's family. I picked up the first picture and looked at it.

"This is your mother." I whispered. I took out another picture. Zuko and his mother. "You must really miss her." I said. I heard something.

I put the pictures in the chest and closed it. Then I closed my hand and the flame went out. I was in complete darkness. I heard more creaking. I froze for a few minutes. When I felt safe I made another flame and opened the chest again. I took out more pictures and at the bottom there were papers. I took them out and looked them over. Words were crossed out and some of the papers had burned edges.

I read one: _I worry I'll never see her again. All I want is to see her one last time. At least get a proper goodbye. I don't know where to start my search. My search…I never know if I'll even be able to start. I might not be able to start if I do capture the Avatar and return home. It'll never happen. I should just give up. Give up searching for her. For my mother. The woman who has- _

"Makes sense, doesn't it?"

I jumped up and my flame went out. I turned around only to see Zuko standing there with a flame in his hand. I sighed and looked down. "How did you find me?"

"Toph isn't good at keeping secrets."

I shook my head. "I'm sorry."

"For what?"

I looked at him and held up the paper. "For intruding. I didn't mean to."

He walked up to me and took the paper. "No one was supposed to read this."

"I kind of figured, but…I had to know what was always on your mind. Now I know. You weren't only searching for the Avatar you…you were searching for your mother." He looked away. "Why was she banished?"

"She killed Fire Lord Azulon to save my life."

I bit my lip. "You still want to find her, don't you?"

He nodded. "Sokka and I already talked about it. He made a good point that she'll eventually hear about the wedding and come to it. I hope that she does."

I put my hand on his face and brought his gaze to mine. "She will. I promise." His golden eyes searched my face. My hand fell to his chest and I closed my eyes. I felt the beat of his heart. It was like nothing I've heard before. I felt his lips on mine. Soft and warm. His flame went out and he wrapped his arms around my waist.

Zuko's P.O.V.

I pulled away. I could feel her muscles tense and her heart beat rapidly. I kissed her. Her muscles seemed to have relaxed, but her heart was still beating like crazy. I mentally laughed at that. I deepened the kiss and she responded.

She pulled away a little. "Zuko, I think we should get back to work. There's too much that needs to be done."

"We need a break."

She laughed. "I'd like a break, but we need to get to work. The girls will be looking for me soon." She opened the door. I sighed. "Come on, Zuko. It's ok. I'm all yours. Just think about it."

I smiled and followed her out. I closed the door. "Alright, fine. I'll see you whenever Katara and Suki decide to let you go."

She laughed. "Ok, I'll see you later." She kissed me on my cheek and ran off.

I walked off to find Sokka. I found him in the kitchen. He looked at me and froze. Food in his mouth. "Hey Zuko. There you are. I looked everywhere for you." He swallowed the food.

"Did you look anywhere besides the kitchen?"

"Yeah, of course I…no."

I rolled my eyes. "Can we just get back to the invitations?"

"Actually, I have a good idea."

"Oh yeah? And what's your idea?"

"I was thinking that when Aang gets to Ba Sing Se he can fly around, dropping flyers everywhere talking about your wedding. And then we can send a messenger hawk to the Fire Nation to tell a messenger to go around and tell everyone. Don't you think it's perfect?"

I thought about it for a while. "Not a bad idea, Sokka. Looks like you use your brain after all."

"No need for insults."

I rolled my eyes. "Pass me a moon peach, well ya?" He grabbed one and tossed it to me. I caught it in one hand and took a bite.

"Well, that's less work for me. I'm going to find Suki." Sokka said.

"She's still designing dresses for Malika. I suggest you not interrupt. From what I heard she and Katara keep fighting over how to design them."

"Yeah, it's better not to." I shook my head and continued to eat the moon peach.

Malika's P.O.V.

I sat in the room listening to Katara and Suki yelling at each other. "Will you guys shut it already? You're really annoying and giving me a headache. If you want I can leave right now and we can forget about you two designing my dress and we can find someone else who's a professional. Now shut up and design at least one dress without arguing!" I fell back on the bed and closed my eyes.

The room grew silent. After a few minutes all I heard was paper. Half an hour passed and they hadn't argued. There was a knock on the door. "Will someone get that?" I asked. The door opened.

"Hey. What are you guys doing here?" Katara asked.

"We pretty much finished the invitations so…yeah. Have nothing better to do." Sokka said.

"It's your wedding dress, why aren't you helping?" Zuko asked as he sat next to me.

I opened my eyes and looked at him. "Because, the only thing I'm doing is judging the dresses. I have nothing to do with the designing."

He lay next to me. "We have something better to do."

I rolled my eyes. "What can we possibly do on a ship?"

"Almost anything, I guess. If you're creative. Spar, sleep…"

I sighed. "Fine, let's go." We sat up and stood up.

"Where are you two going?" Suki asked.

"Go out on the deck and do something better than listening to you two argue all day."

"You can always help, you know."

I rolled my eyes. "I'll pass. Just try to make something decent."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

But I only waved her off. We walked out of the room and walked down the hall, our footsteps echoing behind us. "Suki is really crazy. Hey, quick question. Why are there rules?" I asked.

He laughed. "Where did that come from?"

I shrugged. "Just thought about it."

"To keep order."

"Well, it sucks." We walked onto the deck.

"Then how else do you expect to be Fire Lady?"

I turned around and walked backwards until we were a decent distance apart. "Because I'm the one making the rules."

He positioned himself. "You're insane." He said.

I smiled. "You know you love my insanity." I said.

"I do."

I smirked and positioned myself. "Do you love my fighting skills?"

"You know it."

I bended out some water and lashed it at his arm. "Then prove it."

* * *

After a couple of hours of sparring, Zuko and I walked to our room. I immediately fell on the bed and yawned. "I'm tired."

"Since when do you get tired so quickly?"

I laughed. "Who knows?" I turned over and looked at the large window and I sat up.

"What is it?"

I got off of the bed and walked over to the window. "What is that?"

Zuko stood next to me. Both of us stared out of the large window that showed the underwater world. We were staring at something that looked like an underwater forest. Trees and everything.

"Tell the captain to stop the engine." I said as I turned around and walked toward the door.

"What? What are you doing?"

"Just go tell the captain to stop the ship." I said as I stood at the door. I waited for him. He walked over to me and we walked up to the deck.

On the way I had called everyone to come to the deck. Zuko came back from telling the captain to stop the ship. The ship came to a slow stop. We looked over the railing into the depth of the ocean.

"I can't see anything." Zuko said.

"That's because you have to go under." I said as I got up on the railing.

"Malika, what are you doing?"

"Relax, I'm a water bender. Remember? I'm going to check that thing out whatever it is. I'm curious." And with that I jumped into the cold water.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Cliffhanger! What do you guys think it is? O.o only i know! lol. I hope you guys liked it.


	15. Chapter 15

I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I haven't updated in a million years, i know. So many things have gotten in the way even if you might so "That's no excuse" It's perfectly understandable, but i'm so sorry. I will make it up to you. I promise. 4 day weekend right now, i'll possibly update 2 chaps a day. I hope you enjoy it though.

* * *

Zuko's P.O.V.

I watched as Malika jumped into the water. "She's crazy." I said.

"I'll go in after her." Katara said as she got up on the railing. She jumped in after Malika.

I turned to everyone else. "Come on." They followed me below deck.

"Where are we going?" Sokka asked.

"My room. We can watch what they're doing through the window."

"I can't watch it." Toph said.

"Uh…well…"

"Ah, forget it. I'll just sit down."

We walked into my room and immediately walked over to the window. We watched as the two girls swam deeper towards the underwater forest with air bubbles around their heads.

"What do you think that is?" Suki asked.

"Haven't a clue." I murmured.

The girls disappeared behind the trees. We sat down and watched and waited and waited. About a half hour later the girls immerged from the forest.

"They're back." I said. Sokka perked up a little. The girls swam toward the window. I stood up and put my hands on the window and so did Malika. She pointed upward. I nodded. "They want us to meet them at the top." I walked away from the window as Katara and Malika swam to the top. We ran out of the room and up the stairs onto the deck just in time to see their heads pop up from beneath the waves. Sokka and I helped them up onto the deck. They sat down, drenched in water. I sat in front of them. "So, what was it?"

"A creature said to be extinct." Malika said. I raised an eyebrow.

"A lion-turtle." Katara said.

"A lion-turtle?" I asked. They nodded.

Sokka turned to Suki. "Hey, didn't Aang say that he learned energy bending form a giant lion-turtle?" Suki nodded.

"It has to be the same one. Lion-turtles have been extinct for over a few centuries." I said.

Katara bended the water off of her as Malika heated up her body, causing steam to rise from the water evaporating. I smirked. She eyed me. "What's your problem?" She asked.

I shook my head. "Nothing. Nothing at all."

She rolled her eyes. She grabbed her hair and threw it over her shoulder. "You're just jealous because you didn't see the lion-turtle up close."

"I am not."

"Liar. I don't even have to be Toph to know that."

"She's right, you know?" Toph said.

I rolled my eyes. "Yes, because I'm jealous of seeing an extinct creature."

"Thanks for admitting it." Everyone laughed.

"Who's ready for lunch?" We all turned around to see Uncle Iroh.

"Uncle, you finally came out of the control room."

"I've been thinking of many different cultural foods and drinks. It takes longer than it seems. Lunch is ready if you are hungry. And we can actually eat in the dining room all together. Don't you think we should eat in there?"

Malika frowned. "But I like to eat out here."

"Malika, come on. You can eat out here tonight."

"I want to stay eating out here."

I stood up and pulled on Malika's arm. "Get up."

She lay on her back. "No."

"You are so stubborn."

"Good for you."

"Will you get up already?"

She began to hum. I finally gained control and snatched her up and over my shoulder. "Zuko! What's your problem? Put me down."

"We're going to eat."

"Fine! Just put me down!" I set her down and she glared at me.

"Are you afraid of heights, Tough Cookie?" Toph asked.

"No, I'm not afraid of heights I just hate to be carried. Especially being carried while being held over someone's shoulder. I can't stand it." And with that she followed my Uncle to the dining room.

Malika's P.O.V.

It had only been about half an hour and I hadn't really eaten. I sat at the table with my head in my right hand and my left hand holding the chopsticks, playing around with my food that had a weird taste to it. I usually eat the food before anyone, but today I wasn't. I ignored it. Everyone was too chatty to notice my depressed mood. I only listened in on the conversation.

"Hey! I was very thirsty, we had nothing else to drink."

"I told you not to drink it in the first place."

"Yeah, but you wouldn't let me have any."

"Because it was bad enough I had to deal with Sokka and Momo being all crazy and Aang being all depressed. I didn't need to deal with anymore crazy people. Especially when they hallucinate being in the middle of the ocean." Everyone laughed.

I continued to roll my food around the plate, finally ignoring everyone's joy. I was thinking to myself, _why am I so depressed?_ I had no clue. Maybe it was home sickness. South Pole home sickness. I felt myself getting farther away from the coldness. I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"Malika."

I snapped my head up. "What?" I had noticed that the joy in the room had died down and turned into curiosity and concern. I looked at Zuko who had woke me up from the zone I was drifting off into.

"I've called your name multiple times. Are you ok?"

I looked down. "Uh…yeah, of course." I looked up again.

"Are you sure? You don't seem ok." Katara said.

My head began to spin and I suddenly heard a buzzing noise. I tightly closed my eyes. "I'm perfectly fine…just…excuse me." I jumped up from my seat and walked out of the dining room. I walked down the halls and began to feel dizzy. I fell against the wall.

"Malika?"

Before I could turn around and respond, everything went black.

Zuko's P.O.V.

Before Malika's body met with the hard metal floor, I ran just in time to catch her in my arms. I sat on my knees with her in my arms. "Malika, wake up. Malika! Spirits, help me. Malika, wake up. You can't do this again."

I picked her up in my arms and walked back to the dining room where everyone was. I walked in the room and everyone stared at me. They all stood up at the sight of Malika.

"What happened?" Uncle asked.

"She fainted, I don't know. Katara, is there anything you can do?"

She walked over to us and put her fingers on Malika's neck. "Her pulse is fine and her breathing seems to be normal. I don't see any cause of…" She stopped.

"What, what is it?"

She turned around. "Her food. She stopped eating her food. Why did she stop eating her food?"

Iroh walked over to Malika's seat. He picked up the plate and sniffed it. "There is one type of poison that I can detect."

"Can you tell which one it is?"

He sniffed it again. "Deadly Nightshade."

"How does it affect someone?"

"It's already affected her. Nausea has already occurred. Twitching in the muscles. Can you feel her muscles twitching?" I looked away and nodded. "Don't worry. Whoever did this obviously did not want to kill her. If they did, then they wanted it to be slowly."

"I still want to find whoever did this."

"We will, Zuko, but for now I need to remember if there is a cure. There most likely is not and should wear out in a few days."

"Make it hours. I won't have her in this condition. I won't have her on the brink of dying again."

Iroh sighed and looked down. "Go lay her down, there is something I might be able to do to wake her up now. Actually, put her on the deck."

"Why the deck?"

"Just do it, Zuko."

Without further questioning I hurried out to the deck with everyone following, Iroh going in the opposite direction. We walked up the stairs into the cooling air as day was leaving. We all sat in the middle of the deck and lay Malika down.

"I can't risk almost losing her again. I don't want to lose her. Not now and not ever."

I felt a hand on my shoulder and looked up into Katara's eyes. "She'll be fine."

I pressed my lips together, unsure. "I want to know who did this."

"That's what you have us for, Sparky."

I looked at Toph. "What do you mean?"

"I'm a human lie detector. I can interrogate these people and find out who did it."

I nodded. "Thank you, Toph. Will you do that for me?"

She stood up and grabbed Sokka. "Come on, you're gonna help me out."

"What? Why?"

"Because we're helping out a friend. Now let's go." She dragged him away.

A few minutes later Uncle came back. "I think I have found something that you can do."

"What is it?"

"We have to make her comfortable."

"How do we make her comfortable?"

"We have to put her in her natural element."

"But she has two. Fire and Water. How do we do that?"

"Coat her in fire and then water. Hopefully her muscles shall relax and her mind will wake up from the deep sleep that she is in. It is the only way, Zuko."

I sighed. "Fine. Katara, get water ready. A lot of it." She bended out a huge bubble of water. "And you're sure this is the only way?" I asked. Iroh nodded. I formed fire in my hands. I put my hands near her, trying to be careful so she won't touch it.

"You must do it, Zuko. The fire must touch her. It will be ok. She will be coated in water afterwards and she can heal any burns that form. You must if you want her to wake up sooner."

I pressed my hands to her and traveled up her arms. Her body twitched and small burns began to form on her arms. I regret burning her, but it was the only way. I brought my hands to her legs and began to coat her in burns. Once done with her legs I moved to her stomach. That's when she began to move. It was hurting her and I repeatedly apologized to her in my mind.

"You must do the same to her face. I know it is a terrible sight, but you must."

"I can't."

The flames started to die down. I heard my uncle sigh and he continued the process for me. I watched as she twisted under the pain of the flame. As soon as the fire was done, Katara immediately coated her body in the water. After a few seconds Malika's body relaxed even more and the water began to glow. The water dropped from Katara's grasp and Malika's eyes fluttered open.

She groaned in pain, obviously. "Are you guys trying to burn me alive or what?"

"Malika." I pulled her up to me and tightly embraced her. "I thought I'd lost you again."

She hesitated a while before reutrning the embrace. "You'll never lose me, I guarantee you. What happened, anyway?"

I pulled away and stared into her blue eyes. "Someone poisoned you."

"What?"

"Deadly nightshade, my Uncle says. Do you know anything about it?"

She looked away. "I've heard of it. I don't know much about it."

"Well, you're ok now. We're going to find out who did this to you."

"Already taken care of." We looked up at Toph to see her and Sokka dragging a man.

I stood up and walked over to a man. I grabbed the front of his shirt and he looked up at me. "We have a stowaway. A stowaway that lives in the palace. General Shainu, what brings you here? Not only that but I want to know why you poisoned Lady Malika."

He only smirked. "If it is too late for you not to be Fire Lord then at least your little girlfriend doesn't deserve to be here."

I heard a low growl and turned around to see Malika glaring at the general. I turned back to the man. "You tried killing her back in the palace when she suddenly grew sick, didn't you? You have no right to live."

"No, you and your girlfriend don't have a right to live."

Malika's P.O.V.

"No, you and your girlfriend don't have a right to live."

At that I just snapped. I charged forward but was held back by Katara and Suki. I hung my head, my hair falling all around me. If Zuko had the idea of killing the man, I wanted to be the one with that honor in killing him. He was horrible. I tried jerking my arms away, but Suki's grip tightened on me. I clenched my teeth and waited.

"General, I know that you are very loyal to Ozai, but this is just unacceptable." Zuko dropped the man and he fell on his face.

I smirked. Zuko turned around, walking my way. The man sat up and formed his hand into a fist. It began to spark. I gasped. I got out of Suki's and Katara's grasp and I ran forward. Out of habit, I grabbed the man's arm and twisted it behind his back. He yelled in pain. I pushed him back on his face, my knee in his back. I leaned close to his right ear.

"You should be lucky you weren't killed by the Fire Lord. But you won't be so lucky when I kill you." I grabbed the back of the man's shirt and pulled him up. I pushed him against the rail. My hand heated up as it wrapped around his throat. I could feel his attempt at breathing, but my grasp was too hard. "You're life wasn't going to get any better anyway."

And with that I pushed him off of the ship and he fell head first into the sea water. I looked the other way and closed my eyes. I rarely killed anyone unless necessary. I hated taking someone's life, but it was for my own survival. I felt a hand on my shoulder and looked up into golden eyes. Warmth enveloped me and I felt safe yet again. I dug my face into his chest.

"Thank you." I whispered. He tightened his embrace and then let go of me. "I'm gonna go take a bath." I said. He nodded and I walked off to my room.

* * *

I sat in the tub of water and bubbles. Playing around with the water. Heating it and then making it cold. Bending the water into different shapes. I heard a knock on the door. "Come in." I didn't look up. The door opened.

"Are you ok?" I nodded. The door closed. "We should hopefully be in Ba Sing Se, if not tomorrow, then two days."

"That's great." I casually said.

"You don't sound so enthusiastic."

I dropped my hand in the water. I put on a fake smile, "That's wonderful." I rolled my eyes and erased the smile off of my face. "There's nothing to be enthusiastic about. We're only going to Ba Sing Se." I said.

"You should be happy. We're getting married."

I looked at Zuko. "And I am happy that we're getting married, but…the stories I've heard. People that have either helped or tried killing everyone. Whatever happened to the Earth King? To Long Feng? What if he took over Ba Sing Se again?"

"I think we can take him."

"What about the Earth King? He's long gone. He left, remember?"

He sighed. "What about Toph?"

"What about her?" I asked.

"She can take over Ba Sing Se." I stared at him as if he were crazy. He looked confused. "What?"

"Did you get hit on the head? What in the Fire Nation do you think that a crazy, master earth bender can take over some place like Ba Sing Se? Let alone take over some place like Kyoshi Island? She'll be taking over the entire Earth Kingdom."

"Do you have anyone else in mind?" I looked away.

"Ok, so what if Toph becomes Earth Queen? She'll go crazy with power."

"She's already crazy with power and Toph is the only one we can trust."

"Ok, so we hand the Earth Kingdom over to Toph, she goes crazy, a war 'accidentally' happens, and we're all in trouble again. Smart, Zuko." I said sarcastically.

"Do you have any other ideas?"

"Hand the Earth Kingdom over to…someone else?" I shrugged.

"Exactly. So, Toph it is." I huffed and sank into the water.

* * *

I sat on the bed, thinking about my future. I took a deep breath and the candles flickered. I sat in the middle of the bed and got into a lotus position. I closed my eyes and took slow, deep breaths. I could feel the fire that flickered. When I inhaled the flames grew, when I exhaled they went back to their normal size. I opened my eyes when I felt warm lips on my cheek. I rolled my eyes.

"Zuko, you can stop now."

He smirked and set his chin on my shoulder. "You know, there's something about you. Something with your…fighting. Let's go spar."

I laughed. "Oh well, you're out of luck. I'm meditating."

"Then I'll meditate with you." He stood up and sat down in front of me, getting into an exact position, mirroring me. "Give me your hands."

"What kind of meditating is that?" But I put my hands in his anyway.

"A way for two people to connect and meditate. Iroh taught it to me." He put our hands palm to palm. "Just act like your meditating. Close your eyes and follow my breaths." I closed my eyes at the same time that Zuko did. "Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale." Our breathing patterns fell into step with each other. He exhaled, I exhaled. He inhaled, I inhaled. "Follow my hand movements." He whispered. He moved his hands apart, mine following. He brought our hands in circular motions. "You know what Iroh said about this?"

"What did he say?"

"That this is a way for...special people to get in the Spirit World. You don't even have to be the Avatar. My Uncle is one of those few special people."

"He is? That's cool."

"You're pretty special yourself. Maybe you can get in."

"Hm."

We stayed silent and continued our meditating process. After a few minutes he stopped the hand motions and intertwined our fingers. I opened my eyes to see him looking at our hands. Our scarred hands. I smiled.

He looked at me. "What?"

I shook my head and looked into his golden eyes. He searched my face and leaned in closer. Then I fell back on the bed and sighed.

"What's wrong?" Zuko asked.

I shook my head. "Nothing and a lot. But don't worry about it."

"Malika, tell me."

"Zuko, it's fine."

"Don't try to-"

There was a knock on the door. "Come in."

Katara opened the door. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything…"

I sat up. "Not really, it's fine. We were just talking." I said, looking at her.

"Actually you did kind of interrupt us."

I hit Zuko's arm and glared at him.

"Oh, um…yeah, so…uh…"

"Get to the point, Katara." I said.

She pointed her thumb behind her. "Iroh is looking for you two."

I fell back on the bed as Zuko put his head in his hands. "Why does he need us?"

"He wouldn't say, but it's most likely for the wedding. We should be in Ba Sing Se tomorrow morning."

"Well that's good, I guess. You could've waited five more minutes." Zuko said.

"Tell that to Iroh! I had nothing to do with it but deliver the message."

"So you _did_ have something to do with it."

"No I…ah, forget it and just meet Iroh on the deck!" And with that she stormed out of the room, closing the door behind her.

"I think we should go. But we're not dropping the subject."

"I guess you're right. Let's just…go see what he wants."

Zuko and I walked up the stairs and onto the deck where Iroh was waiting for us. He turned around from where he was standing and he smiled. "How are you feeling, Miss Malika?"

I smiled. "A lot better now that he's gone." He nodded.

"What did you need us for?" Zuko asked. I elbowed him in his side, but he ignored me.

"I needed to tell you that you're welcome to have the wedding in the Earth Kingdom Palace. Isn't that great?" He beamed.

_You've got to be kidding me._

"You interrupted us just to tell us that? That could've waited until morning!" Zuko yelled.

"What is so important that the news could have waited?"

"We were…talking." I looked at Zuko then quickly looked away.

"Oh, I see. Young love is one of many bonds that cannot be broken unless someone allows small tears to form within those bonds and it bleeds the lies that it holds, then shall love be broken. Though, fights make a tear within that bond, it's still strong."

Zuko and I gave him a look. "What's that supposed to mean, Uncle?"

"It means exactly what I said it means. Any lies that the two of you hold, I suggest you share them. Zuko?"

Zuko snapped out of his thoughts and turned his attention to Iroh. "What?"

"I believe you have something to tell Miss Malika, don't you?"

"No, what-what are you talking about?"

I crossed my arms and looked at Zuko. "Yeah, Zuko. What is he talking about?" I tapped my fingers against my arm.

"I don't know. I don't have any secrets to hide from you."

I looked at Iroh and raised an eyebrow. He only shrugged. "And what about you, Malika?"

"What!" I snapped and turned to Zuko.

"You've been living on the streets a long time, there are plenty of secrets for you to hide."

"I have no intention on keeping secrets from you. I told you my secrets. My scar, the first love of my life, and what I think about you." I half lied. Only hoping that Toph wasn't around.

"You have nothing to keep from me?"

I stared into his eyes. I grabbed for my necklace. "I have…absolutely nothing to hide from you."

* * *

**A/N: **CLIFFHANGER! Ok, how many of you guys are now anxious to know what Malika's secret is? What do you think her secret is? *thinks* Only i know! Please review. I'd really appreciate it and the more reviews, the faster i update. I promise you. Hope you liked it.


	16. Chapter 16

HAPPY NEW YEAR! sorry it's been so long since i last updated and i'm terribly sorry. I couldn't bring myself to edit this chapter. not write, but edit. I had it all written down and i still do, so maybe i'll post quickly. *shrug*

anyway last chapter Zuko and Malika were talking about secrets and stuff, so here is the continuation to the secret conspiracy.

* * *

Toph's P.O.V.

I was sitting in my room, being bored out of my mind. I tried to help Sugar Queen with whatever she was doing, but she pushed me away. I went to go find Snoozles but he was with Fan Girl. I rolled my eyes at the two as they walked down the hall. I could feel their heartbeats racing as they were around each other. I huffed and went to go find Tough Cookie. She'd most likely be with Hot Head. I walked down the silent halls and walked up the stairs to the deck and stopped at the sound of voices. I hid.

"Yeah, Zuko. What is he talking about?"

Hot Head's heart was racing rapidly. "I don't know. I don't have any secrets to hide from you." His heart began to race faster as he lied. "And what about you, Malika?"

"What!"

"You've been living on the streets a long time, there are plenty of secrets for you to hide."

"I have no intention on keeping secrets from you. I told you my secrets. My scar, the first love of my life, and what I think about you."

She was lying. Malika and Zuko were indeed lying to each other. I grinned and silently walked away. I was going to have fun messing with them until they cracked.

Zuko's P.O.V.

I walked down the halls below deck. "Hey, Sparky. I've been looking for you." I turned around to see Toph walking my way.

"What do you need?"

She stopped next to me. "Where's Tough Cookie?"

"Um…I don't know. Why do you need her?"

"I need both of you, actually. Can we look for her?"

I raised my eyebrow. "Um…sure. I didn't see her go toward the rooms so…"

"She's probably bending. Let's go." She took my arm and dragged me away.

"Toph, what are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm dragging you so we can go find your girlfriend."

I glared at the back of the girl's head. We walked up onto the deck to see Malika sitting on the edge of the ship. "Malika!" She jumped and fell off. I mentally slapped myself for scaring her. Toph and I ran over to where she was. I looked over the edge to see her in the water. "Toph, go tell the captain to stop the ship. And fast."

She took off running. Malika glared at me from where she was floating in the water. "What's your problem?" She yelled up to me.

"What do you mean what's my problem? I wasn't the one sitting on the edge of a fast moving ship!"

"I was bending, you idiot. You need to learn how to give people more privacy."

I rolled my eyes. The ship suddenly jerked and I was thrown to the ground. I heard laughing and could tell it was coming from Malika. I stood up and looked down at her. "At least I'm not the one who fell overboard."

"Thanks to you." She swam closer to the ship and water bended herself out of the water and onto the deck. She bended the water out of her clothes and hair and at me.

"Hey." I heated up and steam rose into the air.

She punched me in my arm, walking away. "Stop showing off."

I smiled at her. "I wasn't showing off."

"But of course, oh wonderful Fire Lord." I felt the ship jerk as it began to move again.

"Sparky. Tough Cookie. I wanna talk with the two of you."

"About what?" Malika asked.

Toph shrugged. "Nothing really, just…some things. But I suggest we go somewhere a little more private. What about that room?"

"What room?" I asked.

"The room that Malika found…what, last week? I can't remember. It was a dark secret room I had to unlock for her."

I looked away. "Yeah, I remember."

"Well, no one seems to know about it, so why not go in there?"

"Whatever it is, it better not take long." Malika said.

The three of us walked toward the room. I opened it and we walked into the dark room. Malika and I formed a flame in our hands. Toph closed the door.

Malika's P.O.V.

I walked over to the chest and opened it as I knelt next to it. I pulled out a picture of Zuko and his mother. Zuko pulled out candles and lit them around the room. "Alright, time to talk the talk. What secrets are you two hiding?"

"What?" I nearly dropped the picture in my hand. I looked at Toph. "What makes you think we have secrets?"

"Think? I _know_, Tough Cookie. I overheard you two talking to Iroh. Both of you were lying about not having secrets to keep from each other. Especially you, Tough Cookie! You're heart was racing so fast I thought it was going to jump out of your mouth and hop all over the deck and jump into the water!" Zuko and I stared at her with a confused look. "Does it matter what I said, what matters is the fact that you were lying."

Zuko looked at me. "You were lying to me?"

"Wh-what? No, no I wasn't lying."

"Malika, you're lying right now. Why don't you just tell us your secrets?"

"I don't have any secrets!"

"Why are you lying?" I looked at Zuko.

"Nuh-uh, Sparky. Don't act like you didn't lie either. What secrets are you hiding?" Toph asked.

"I'm not hiding anything."

"Why are you lying, Zuko?" I asked. He glared at me and I glared right back.

"Can we just get this over with? Malika, what are you hiding?"

"I'm not hiding anything."

"Toph can tell you're lying, so why don't you just give up and give in?" Zuko said.

"Because, even if I had a secret I obviously didn't tell you because it's my secret to keep."

"Ok, and what about what Uncle said?"

"For once, who cares what he said? It's my secret and a secret is a secret, never to be told."

"Fine, if you don't want to tell your secret, maybe Sparky will be as kind as to share his. Sparky?" Toph looked at Zuko.

"What secret?"

"The secret that you're keeping from Tough Cookie."

"I don't have any secrets."

"That's a lie, you're lying, Sparky."

"What secrets do I have?"

"I don't know, that's why you're telling us."

A thought occurred to me. I pulled out more letters from the chest. "What are you doing?" Zuko asked. "Hey, those are personal."

I held them back as he grabbed for them. "I thought you said it was ok?"

"That was the first letter, but you don't need to read anymore."

"Toph, hold him back."

Toph grabbed his arms. "Let go of me." I pulled out the rest of the letters and looked over them. "Malika, stop reading those."

_I'm nearing in my capturing of the Avatar. It's hard though. He and his companions are fast and nearly impossible to catch. Maybe it's better to give up. Give up everything. Go look for my mother and forget everything. I don't know if I care anymore…but if I don't capture the Avatar, Azula would take over. Leaving me where? No home. No family. No anything…that's why I must do this. _

"Malika, stop!"

"What were you really up to?" I whispered to myself, completely ignoring him. Toph had bended metal around his wrists to keep him still. I read another one that had burnt edges.

_I'm going through one of my confused stages again. I'm not sure what to do. What's right from wrong. Uncle has constantly been trying to help me, but nothing works. Nothing ever works. She's out there, I know it. Hiding from the Fire Nation. She's either somewhere the most populated…or the most remote location. I've been searching for her along with the Avatar. If I can't find him…I look for her. Of course, though, I do it in secret. If my father ever found out that I was looking for her, I'd never be able to return home. Even with the Avatar…things have started to become more difficult for me._

"Malika, stop reading. Please." I pulled through letters and stopped at one that was dated not too long ago.

_Sozin's Comet is approaching and all of us are becoming paranoid. But we have a new companion that is able to help us. She's great at fighting…she's skilled…and talented…and…special. Malika. We met her on the streets. Born in the Fire Nation, but her home was the South Pole. Water and Fire. Complete opposites…but are her natural elements. She's wonderful in every way I can think of. She believes in me. I think…I think I love her. But it can never be. I wish to make her forever mine, but…the position I'm in now…it can never happen. It will never happen. I can't love her. _

I dropped the letters just before they caught on fire from my grip. Tears streamed down my face. "So that's your big secret. You can't love me."

"No, Malika, th-that's not what I meant. That was before. I didn't know what I was talking about."

"But you said it. It's too late."

"Malika-"

"Why did you even ask me to marry you?"

"Wait-"

"No, if you can't love me then fine. Don't." I stood up and snatched off my necklace. I dropped it in front of him. I looked at Toph with a tear stained face. "Thank you, Toph. You just ruined our marriage." I opened the door and walked out, slamming it behind me.

Zuko's P.O.V.

Toph's cuffs fell off of my wrists. I sat there, staring at the necklace that lay in front of me. I picked it up and clenched my hand around it. I was going to regret what I was about to do. I stood up and turned on Toph.

"Do you know what you just did? You just had to go on, telling us to tell our secrets!"

"I'm-"

"No! You just ruined our marriage!" The flames from the candles began to grow, nearly turning the room into a furnace.

"I'm sorry, I just-"

"You just what? What, Toph?"

"Was trying to make things better."

"How is ruining a marriage making things better? Can you tell me that?"

"I-"

"Forget it! Don't ever talk to me again." With that I opened the door and stormed out, leaving Toph in the dark.

Malika's P.O.V.

I walked straight to Suki's room where she and Katara were. I walked into the room. The two looked up at me. "Hey…Malika, what's wrong?" Suki asked.

I didn't answer. All I did was grab the sketches of the wedding dresses. I held all of them in my hand and they all caught on fire.

"What are you doing?" Katara asked.

The fire died down and I dropped the papers. "I needed something to burn."

They both looked at me, confused. "You couldn't have-"

"No, I couldn't have."

Katara got off of the bed and walked over to me. "Malika, what's wrong?" She looked down at my neck. "Where's your necklace?"

I shook my head. "The wedding is off."

"What!" They both said. "Why?"

"You know, if Toph had left everything alone maybe we'd still be preparing for the wedding. But no. She always has to screw something up."

I didn't wait for another response. I walked out of the room to look for Iroh. With the same trouble Zuko was going through, he'd probably be the last person. I walked up to the top where Iroh was most likely to be. He was.

"Looks like I win again. But I'll tell you this, you are improving. Maybe we should play again."

"Iroh?"

He looked up. "Malika, what a surprise to see you here. I'd expect you to be with Zuko."

"Don't remind me."

Iroh looked at one of the crew members that he was playing Pai Sho with. "Please, if you do not mind." The crew member stood up and bowed before leaving. I sat across from Iroh. "Did you two get into another fight?"

I looked at him. "I guess you can put it that way." We were silent for awhile.

"Where is your necklace?" Iroh picked up his cup of tea and took a sip.

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about. The wedding is off."

He turned his head and spit out his tea. He looked at me. "What are you talking about?"

"Uh…the wedding is off."

"Why?"

"Because, Toph over heard us talking to you about the whole secret thing and she found out we were lying and she tried to force us into telling our secrets and then I found out Zuko's secret and I got really angry and called off the wedding. You're not mad are you?"

"Maybe just a little, but I am proud that there are no more secrets. Am I correct?"

I stared at him with pain filled eyes. I sighed. "No." He raised an eyebrow. "Even if I told my secret the wedding would still be off. Now that I know what he thought of me and probably still thinks…I'm not going to tolerate with it."

"That is perfectly understandable."

"So…you aren't angry?"

"Why should I be? You have discovered the truth, and knowing that truth has hurt you." I looked down. "Why don't you have a cup of tea to clear your mind? What do you say?"

"Yes please."

"Jasmine or Ginseng?"

"Jasmine."

He stood up and walked over to where the tea was set. "Are you and Zuko going to talk about it?"

"No, of course not. I can't talk to him. Not after what just happened."

"Hm…of course. But the two of you will have to talk about it sooner or later…am I correct?"

"I'm afraid to say you are not correct, Iroh. We…I'm not going through with this. I won't talk with him. Forget about the tea. I need some fresh air." I stood up and quickly walked out before Iroh could stop me.

I sat on the edge of the ship, meditating. Trying my hardest to keep perfect balance. I felt the water swirl as if it were my own blood. My hair was in a ponytail so it wouldn't get in my face as I concentrated. I opened my eyes, my face expressionless. I looked down at the water. I took one last deep breath before jumping down into the coldness.

* * *

**A/N: **And Malika has left the ship...and an all new adventure starts! Well, what did you think? hate it? like it? love it? not what you expected? Well, there's still ways to go before you find out Malika's secret! ^^ Keep ya waiting longer. Anyway **REVIEW PLEASE! **


	17. Chapter 17

Hi there! ^^ Ok, it's been about a month and i have tons and tons of chapters written for this story i just...haven't been that into it that much. But i promise, i'll be posting faster. Ok? So, last chapter Malika jumped off the ship...and so it continues...

* * *

Katara's P.O.V.

I had walked around the entire ship, looking for Malika. I went back to Suki's room. "Suki, have you seen Malika?"

"Not since she stormed off. Why? You can't find her."

"No, and I can't find Toph either. I think something might've happened."

"I'll go talk to Iroh. That's where she was headed last. Go find Zuko and ask him if he's seen Toph."

I nodded and we walked out of her room and went our separate ways. I walked deep into the ship, hoping to find Malika in the room she once shared with Zuko, but found him sitting at the window. I knocked on the door.

"What is it?" He asked, without turning around.

"Have you seen Toph?"

"Yes."

"Do you know where she is?"

"Yes."

I waited for an answer. "Are you going to tell me?"

He sighed. "Go back to the main hall. There should be a door that leads to a dark room. She should still be in there."

Despite the fact that I wanted to ask why she would be in a dark room, I didn't question him any further. I walked back to the main hall and tried every door. I found the one he was talking about and opened it to see Toph sitting in the dark.

"Toph, are you ok?"

"I'm perfectly fine."

I heard the struggle in her voice. "Um…do you have any idea where Malika could be?"

"She's gone."

"What do you mean she's gone?"

"I mean she's not on the ship anymore."

My eyes widened. I grabbed Toph and pulled her out of the room. She yelled as I dragged her down the hall. "You're positive she's gone? Like off the ship, gone?"

"Yes, Sugar Queen. I can't feel her anywhere."

I pulled her up the stairs to the very top where the captain was steering the ship. "Cut the engines."

The captain looked at me. "What? Why?"

"Lady Malika is no longer on this ship."

* * *

All of us, except for Zuko, where on the deck. I was pacing back and forth. "Katara, you need to calm down."

I turned around to look at my brother. "Calm down? One of my friends is off this boat. Spirits know if she's still even alive."

"Katara, don't think that way. She can't be dead."

"Then we need to start looking for her. Where do you think she can possibly be?"

"She has to be in the water."

"Where in the water, Sokka? She's a water bender. She could be anywhere by now."

Everyone was silent for awhile. "Sugar Queen, the only one who can go down there and look for her is you. The rest of us aren't water benders and wouldn't survive."

I looked at Toph, knowing she was right. "She could be far away from where we are now."

"Still, we have to look for her."

I looked at all of the faces around me. Iroh, Sokka, Suki, Toph…_What if I don't come back without her? What if I don't come back at all? _I shook the thought from my head. I took a deep breath and nodded. "You guys really think I should do this?" They all nodded. I sighed. "Ok. Sokka, go get a map and look around for the nearest islands. You guys need to check the islands while I check the waters."

"What if we can't find you?"

"If we can't find each other in seven days we just need to meet up with each other in Ba Sin Se. We'll meet in the middle ring."

"Are you sure? Why not the upper?"

"Just meet in the middle. We need to start the search now." I took one last glance at everyone before running for the edge and diving into the cold water.

Zuko's P.O.V.

The last time I actually cried is the day of Sozin's Comet. It seemed so long ago that happened. I took a deep breath and opened my eyes. Tears had dried up on my face. I heard a knock. "What?"

"Zuko, we must talk."

I closed my eyes again and hung my head. "I don't want to talk."

"But you know we have to, and why not do it now instead of having to wait?" I heard movement beside me. "Nephew, what…Malika never told me the secret you kept from her. Can you tell me?"

"Uncle, it's a secret for a reason."

"Yes, but I would like to know what got her so angry. We talked, but she did not tell me everything." I shook my head. "You miss her, don't you?"

I closed my eyes and slowly nodded. "Do you think I can make things better?" I asked.

"No, I do not."

I snapped my eyes open and looked at him. "What do you mean 'no'? You're my uncle, you're supposed to back me up."

"Zuko, she is quite angry at you."

"That doesn't mean I can't make things better. All I have to do is show her my true self and-"

He grabbed me by the shoulders. "She is gone, Zuko."

It took me a while to process what he just told me. Or maybe it was the fact that I didn't want to believe it. "What?"

He slowly dropped his hands from my shoulders. "She is gone. She is not on the ship. We've looked everywhere, but we cannot find her. We've already started our search."

"How?"

"We will check nearby islands and Katara has set out to look for her at sea."

"You let her go alone!"

"It was the only way."

"No, it wasn't. You could've set someone out with her!"

"She is the only water bender here and she cannot keep an air bubble around someone else's head while swimming for days on. The rendezvous is in the middle ring in Ba Sing Se in seven days."

I sighed. I mentally yelled at everyone for letting Katara go alone. If anything happened to her…Sokka and Aang would both try to kill me. Even though Aang's feelings for her have lowered…they were as close as she and Sokka. Another thing, it wasn't even my fault in the first place so Aang would try to kill Sokka. Right? Yeah, because Sokka must've agreed.

"Zuko?"

I snapped my head up as my uncle took me out of my thoughts. "Where's Sokka?"

* * *

I walked to Sokka's room. Without knocking I burst in. He and Suki looked up at me. "Hey, Zuko. What do you need?"

"My girlfriend back. But that's not gonna happen, is it?"

He sighed and hung his head. "Iroh wasn't supposed to tell you."

"I would've figured out sooner or later."

He looked at me. "I have an idea of where she might be."

I looked down at the map in front of him. "Ok, so where?"

"If she's not in the water then she can't be far. We've already passed the Serpent's Pass and we'll be in Ba Sing Se too soon. We won't have time for a search."

"Sokka, you didn't answer my question!" I grabbed the map.

"Zuko, you need to calm down." Suki told me.

I pinched the bridge of my nose and closed my eyes. "Ok, where do you think she is, Sokka?" I gave him the map back.

"Ok, there's a possibility she could be in the desert, but I highly doubt it seeing as being in the desert her main element would be fire and she wouldn't survive long. She could also be somewhere near the Serpent's Pass, seeing as it's probably safer than the desert or stranded in the water. Other than that, there's a small island called Senlai a few miles away from the Serpent's Pass. It at least has a small town there so she'd most likely be there for shelter. That or she's going to Ba Sing Se which is the best place she'd be."

I grabbed the map again. "How far away are we from the island?"

"Far. It's too late to turn around. We'll be in Ba Sing Se soon, at least by night fall if not early the next morning."

I threw the map down and fell on Sokka's bed. I sat up and put my head in my hands. "What if…what if we can't find her?"

"Then we'll have to keep looking until we do."

I shook my head and looked up at Sokka. "Why'd you do it?"

"Do what?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Let Katara go by herself. Do you know how dangerous that is?"

"Hey, I hate this probably as much as you do, but we're doing this to get Malika back."

I looked up at the ceiling. "Let's just hope this all works out."

Malika's P.O.V.

I sat on the edge of a rocky cliff. After jumping off of the boat I swam straight here, seeing as it was the closest thing to land that I could survive on for awhile. It was something called the Serpent's Pass. I've seen it on maps before. I could easily take this pass to Ba Sing Se, but everyone would be there soon. I had trouble with the serpent that lived around here, but I think I taught it a lesson. Every now and then it would pass by, but never gave me trouble again. I was too tired to bend the water out of my clothes or even heat up to dry myself. I swam at least two miles from where we were. I heard a loud screeching noise. I looked down in the water to see the shadow of the serpent below the water.

"Will you shut it already? I'm tired of hearing your stupid cries or whatever every five minutes!"

The noise stopped, but I knew it was only for awhile. The sun was still high in the sky. I took a deep breath to soak of the energy from it. Something ran across my mind…a picture of a map. _Sokka's map. He found an island once. A few miles from here! _My spirits lifted. _It's just about Northwest of here! Now, which way would that be? _I looked up at the sun and smiled. I turned around and began to walk to the other side of the path. I looked down at the water. I put my thumb and index finger in a corner of my mouth and blew. A loud whistling sound came out as did the serpent. He hissed at me.

"Yeah, yeah, now shut it. I need you to take me somewhere. Do you understand?" It pulled its head back and screeched. I rolled my eyes. "All animals are stubborn." I bended out water and held it in my hand. I lashed it at the serpent and it yelled. "Now get down here because you're taking me to this island!" It lowered its head near me. "Thank you." I dropped the water and got on its head. Its skin was rough, but smooth in some places. I held on to it. I pointed in the distance. "That way."

It screeched one last time before diving into the depths of the water. I created an air bubble around my head for me, but still managed to hold on tight. The serpent was swimming quickly. _I'll be there in no time. _I thought. I ignored the slightly beautiful, underwater scenery around me and focused on directing this thing to my destination.

At least half an hour later the serpent emerged from the water. I dropped the water around my head and looked around. I could see a small island in the distance. I smiled and pointed towards it. This time the serpent only cruised towards it, leaving me above surface. In a few minutes I was at the little island. I got off of the serpent. It screeched at me once I jumped down. When I turned around it was right in my face.

"Do you ever shut up!"

At that it dove beneath the waves and swam off, back towards Serpent's Pass. I rolled my eyes and turned around to begin walking. I climbed up the tall hill, my legs beginning to burn. When I got to the top I looked down to see a small town. I smiled. I ran down the hill towards it, happy that I'd be able to eat because I was starving. When I got to the town I was surprised to see it had more people than I expected. I walked through, a few people glancing at me awkwardly. I stopped at a food stand.

"What can I get you?" The guy asked.

My stomach grumbled. "Uh…how much is komodo chicken?"

"Four silver pieces."

"Four? That's kind of expensive don't you think?" He only shrugged. I pulled out the money from my pocket that I kept. One gold piece, two silver pieces and five copper pieces. I wanted to save the gold piece. "Uh…I have two silver pieces and five copper. What will that get me?"

"The copper pieces will get you a small bowl of rice." He pulled out a small bowl of rice and when he said small…he wasn't kidding. It was probably four bites, depending how you eat.

My stomach grumbled again. "Well…"

"Get her the komodo chicken and a large bowl of rice." I turned around to see a woman at least in her late thirties. Her black hair was in a bun and her brown eyes shone in the sunlight. I squinted at her, she looked familiar. She held a basket of food under her left arm and ten silver pieces in her right hand and handed them to me. "It's my treat." She said with a smile. "Oh…thank you." I turned back to the man and gave him the money.

He brought out a large bowl of rice and a plate of komodo chicken. He handed them to me. I turned back around to see the lady still standing there. "I've never seen you before." She said.

"Um…no. I just…got here from…uh…"

"Say no more. Do you have somewhere to stay?" I shook my head. "Why don't you come with me? I have a two bedroom apartment and I only use one room. You can stay there if you'd like." I smiled and nodded. "Just follow me."

I followed the lady through the crowded town. I never knew such a small town could have such a big population. A few minutes later we walked up to a door. The lady opened it and we walked through the halls and up a few flight of stairs. One guy poked his head out of his house and smiled at the lady. "Yada, how have you been?"

The woman I was following smiled at the man. "I've been great, Shan." We continued to walk and we finally came to a door. She pulled out her key and unlocked the door. "Well, here we are." She walked into the kitchen and set down her basket of food. "Oh, I'm Yada by the way." She said.

"I'm Malika."

"That's a pretty name."

"Thank you."

She turned and looked at me up and down. I looked down at myself to notice my clothes were damp and a little muddy. "Hm…I have something you can put on for now. Why don't you go wash up after you eat, ok? The bathroom is in the back."

I nodded and sat down. After I ate, I stood up and began walking towards the back of the apartment house. I found the bathroom and closed the door. "This is gonna be an adventure."

I walked out of the bathroom, wearing the clothes Yada leant me. They were slightly big on me, but other than that they fit ok. I put my hair in a low ponytail. I walked into the kitchen to see Yada cooking and making tea. She looked at me and smiled. "Well, don't you look clean. Feel better?"

"Much, thank you." I sat at the table. She put down a tea pot and two cups on the table.

"Would you like some tea?"

"Yes please."

She poured me a cup and I took it. She sat across from me with her cup of tea. "So Malika, you seem like an adventurous person."

"I am, actually."

"Where were you living before you came here?"

"The Fire Nation. Ember Island."

"Ember Island? Now I see it. You're that street fighter."

I smiled nervously. "Uh…yeah, I guess you can say that."

"Uh-huh. You're pretty famous. It's not hard to notice you."

"So, what island is this?"

"Senlai. Even though it's over here in Earth Kingdom waters, it's Fire Nation territory. So you'll be seeing tons of fire benders. So, all the way from Ember Island. What are you doing here?"

I bit my lip. "I just…I kind of broke up with my boyfriend. We were supposed to get married in Ba Sing Se, but I called off the wedding because of a…secret he kept from me."

Understanding showed in her eyes. "I had a son who kept many secrets to himself."

I raised an eyebrow. "You had a son? What happened to him?"

She shook her head. "I don't know, to tell you the truth. Our family was mixed up and I had to go. I never got a chance to return home."

"Oh, I'm sorry. Hopefully he wasn't a handful, hot-headed, temperamental, infuriating jerk."

She raised an eyebrow and smiled. "He could be sometimes. Who was your boyfriend?"

I gave her a look. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

She smiled again. "Try me."

I sighed and looked away. "Fire Lord Zuko." I looked at her.

She stared at me. "I'm sorry…who did you say?"

"Zuko, the Fire Lord."

She looked down in her cup. "I thought that's what you said." I didn't say anything after that.

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**A/N: **Ok, so what do you think? I know that "riding the serpent to an island" was a bit...over the top, i guess. But it's my story and i can do whatever i want with it! Still, i hope it was decent. Ok...so...what are you waiting for? Go review.


	18. Chapter 18

it's been awhile. sorry. ok. not much to say.

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Zuko's P.O.V.

I spent the rest of the afternoon in my room. Going over Sokka's plan of how this would work. We go to Ba Sing Se and think over a few things. Sokka and Suki would go to Senlai and look for Malika. If she wasn't there…then we'd be heading back to the Fire Nation. The ocean began to darken, which meant the sun was going down. There was a knock on my door. I turned around to see Suki standing there.

"Sokka wanted me to tell you were pulling up on the shores of Ba Sing Se. You should get ready."

I nodded and turned back to the window. "Suki?"

"Yes?"

"Can I talk to you for a second?"

"Of course." I heard her close the door and I saw her sit beside me. "What's wrong?"

"Do you think if we find Malika…she'll still be mad at me?"

"I don't know. Seeing as she called off the wedding herself…yeah, she might be. But you can't give up, Zuko. Giving up is like failing. No one likes to fail."

_Never give up without a fight. _

_I failed. _

_You were lucky to be born._

I closed my eyes, erasing the thoughts from my mind. "What would you do if this happened to you and Sokka? Would you forgive him?"

"Well, he _is _Sokka and he always makes mistakes. So, yeah. I'd forgive him." She stood up. "If we do find her, give her time to make up her final decision." With that she walked out of my room.

Malika's P.O.V.

Yada had gone back to the market because she forgot something. I still sat in the kitchen, drinking tea. I got bored and stood up and walked to the back of the house. I walked into Yada's room. I knew she was hiding a secret and I needed to know what that secret was. I opened all of the drawers, looking for something. After a few minutes of searching I stopped. I heard the door open.

"Malika?"

I ran out of the room and across the hall to mine. Then I walked out as if I was in there the whole time. "Hey, Yada. What did you get?" I walked into the kitchen.

"I bought you some clothes and I got more food."

"Oh, thank you."

We were silent for a while. I didn't know what to say, so I just stood there. "So…you've been in the palace before?" I was surprised by the sudden question but nodded. I looked at her more carefully. She seemed oddly familiar I just couldn't put my finger on it. "What's it like?"

"Um…nothing super fantastic or anything it's like a regular…palace?"

She laughed. "What's the royal family like?"

"Well…I've never really had any experience around Ozai, but I heard he's…something and…evil. Uh…Iroh, the Dragon of the West, is really nice. He's always there when you need help and he gives great tea and advice even though you sometimes don't even understands what he means. And then Azula…she's crazy. She won't hesitate in killing anyone."

"She killed someone?"

"She nearly killed Zuko, but that's not important. Too many memories," I murmured the last sentence to myself. "And Zuko…he's…just like I explained earlier."

"But…"

"But he's also really nice and sincere…but so confused when it comes to making decisions in life. I'm beginning to wonder if…if _I've_ made the right decisions in life."

"Knowing…from what I've heard of Fire Lord Zuko he says many things that mess things up. Am I correct?" I nodded. "Then maybe you did make the right choice in leaving. Possibly give him time to think over a few things and maybe he'll realize that he never should've kept any secrets from you."

"But what about me? I'm keeping secrets from him. I want to tell him…but I'm scared of what he might think of me."

"Does he love you?"

"That's the secret he kept from me. He's not sure if he can love me and he's saying that it can never be." I looked away. I felt hands on my shoulders as Yada tried to comfort me.

"I'm sorry, Malika. I know what it feels like to have secrets kept from you and having to keep secrets from those closest to you."

I looked at her. "What secrets do_ you_ have?"

She pulled away. "That's not important. Are you hungry?"

I shook my head and stood up. "Is it ok if I go into town and walk around, get used to my surroundings?"

She smiled at me. "Of course. Here, take some money just in case." She handed me some silver and copper pieces. I walked out of the apartment and ran down the stairs. I walked out into the sun light, taking a deep breath. I put the money in my pocket and began to walk around.

Katara's P.O.V.

I had been swimming for too long and I hadn't found any land to rest on. I created a huge ice platform and hopped onto it. As cold as it was on my back, I was tired. I most likely wouldn't find her. Knowing Malika she'd swim as far as she could to get to shelter. There was no way she'd be out in the water. I sat up and looked around. All land I could see was not only far away, but a desert. The same desert I was once stranded in. I looked back at the way I came. _Maybe I should just go back and forget this. She won't be here. _I shook my head. _No, you're doing it for Zuko. You can't give up. _With one last breath I dove back into the water.

Malika's P.O.V.

I had walked around the main part of town already, where most of the people lived. I was now walking through the large market. Food shops, souvenir shops…everything. I stopped by a souvenir stand. "Hello, miss. Anything I can interest you in?" The lady asked.

"No, I'm just…" My eye caught something. It was a vase. I picked it up.

"That is very rare, young miss. It rarely catches anyone's gaze. A vase of white glass coated in a red glass. The red glass holds the story."

"What story?"

She shrugged. "But maybe if you pay more attention to the scenes you'll find out. The scenes hold merchants and scholars and much scenery of beauty."

"How much?"

"Three-hundred gold pieces."

My spirit felt as if it had been stabbed by a needle and deflated. "Oh."

The lady smiled at me. "How about I give it to you for twenty silver pieces and one gold piece."

I looked at her. "Seriously?" She nodded. I pulled out all of my money. I had the amount she wanted. I gave her the twenty silver and one gold. "Thank you."

"Here's some advice. Don't just put any old flowers in there. I have a friend who has a stand of rare flowers. He's on the other side of town down an alley. Just look for all of the thieves and muggers," she said it so casually. "Be careful."

I smiled at her. "Thank you so much." I backed up and bumped into someone. I nearly dropped the vase but caught it just in time. I turned around with an angry expression. "Hey! Watch it! You nearly made me drop this!"

The man was well built and at least twice my size in every way, but I stood my ground. As tall as I was he still looked down at me and laughed.

"What are you gonna do about it, shrimp?"

I glared at him. I turned back to the lady that sold me the vase. "Hold this for me." I handed her the vase and turned back around to look at the laughing man. I walked over to him and shoved him. _It feels like old times, picking fights out on the streets. _

The man stumbled and stopped laughing. "Who do you think you are, pushing me?"

"Why do you need to know? You knock into someone and call them a shrimp daily?"

People began to form a circle around us. "Actually, shrimp, you knocked into me."

"What does it matter? You nearly made me drop that vase and it's very expensive."

He aimed fire at me feet and I fell back. He laughed. "Aww, looks like someone fell down. What are you gonna do? Cry and go running to your mommy?" He and a lot others began to laugh. I glared and growled. I got up on my feet and aimed fire at his arm. It singed him. "Hey!" I smirked. "You wanna fight, shrimp?"

"I don't think you want to do that." I turned around to grab the vase and walk away.

"Why not? You scared I'm gonna burn you?"

I stopped and laughed. I turned and looked at him. "You seriously think I'm afraid of being burned?"

"I think you are."

I smirked. I put down the vase and took off my robe to reveal my fighting clothes. I had kept them from Ember Island and washed them. I had always worn these out on the streets when fighting so it felt like home. "Let's dance."

Zuko's P.O.V.

We had docked in Ba Sing Se and were already on our way to the Upper Ring. We had taken the train and few people were staring at us. I only looked out of the window as the Lower and Middle Ring disappeared. I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"Can I talk to you?"

I turned around to see Toph sitting next to me. I sighed. "Sure."

"I'm sorry for what I did. I wasn't thinking. I didn't think it would go this far."

"It's not your fault."

"Yes it is and you can't lie to me."

"Toph, it's not your fault. It's mine. I never should've kept any secrets from her. Especially one like that."

"What _was_ the secret you kept from her?"

I looked away. "I wasn't sure if I would be able to love her or not. And I'm still not sure."

"But you do love her, right?"

I looked at her. "Of course I do."

"Then why aren't you sure if you can love her?"

I looked down. "I don't know. It's complicated." I looked out of the window. _Whatever you're doing right now, Malika, don't get into any trouble._

Malika's P.O.V.

I stood in a stance across from the man. A large group had gathered around us. He smirked. I kicked my leg high in the air and a long line of fire shot out toward him. He stumbled backwards. He got back in a stance. I looked down at his feet. He was sloppy. He shot fire at me. I looked up just in time to deflect it. We stood there for awhile which gave me plenty of time to plan out my strategy. I smirked at my plan. _This is gonna go great. _I shot a fire ball at his face which he deflected like I planned. I ran toward him while he was distracted. He saw me just in time and swung his arm. I got down on my knees and slid under his arm. I grabbed onto his leg and he fell on his stomach. I quickly got up and dropped his leg. I grabbed his left arm and pulled it behind him. He yelled.

"Now, say you're sorry."

He turned his head to the left. "No."

I glared and pulled his arm more. He yelled again. I pushed his arm against his back and put my knee in his back. I bent down close to his ear. "This fight was too easy. You're weak. Now, say you're sorry or I'll rip your arm off. Your choice." I gripped onto his arm tighter. My nails digging into his skin, drawing blood. I heated up my hands.

"Alright, I'm sorry!"

"And what are you gonna do next time?"

"Watch where I'm going?"

I smiled. "Good boy." I let go of his arm. I stood up and dusted myself off. I pulled my arm back and threw it forward. He yelled loudly as I burned his shoulder. I grabbed my robe off of the ground and walked over to the stand. "Thank you for holding my vase. I'll check out the flower place you told me about." I took the vase and walked off. Everyone cleared the way as I walked past them with a grin planted on my face.

It took me awhile to get to the other side of town, but I managed. I found people sneaking around, looking for something to steal, but I kept an eye out. I walked through a long, dark alley and came to a stop when I saw a stand. A flower stand. I walked over to the stand.

"What can I do for you?"

"Hi…um…your friend told me to check this place out. She works at one of the souvenir stands." He stared at me. I showed him the vase. "She sold this to me."

His expression brightened. "Oh, Ranai gave that to you. Of course, you can have anything."

"Anything?"

"It's on the house."

I looked at all of the beautiful flowers. I pointed to a purple flower. It was purple and orange in the middle and its purple petals were as if someone rolled them up, making it look like a spoon at the tip of it. "What flower is that?"

He picked it up. "This is the Blue Bell Tunicate. It's rare. All of these flowers are very rare which is why you see few of them. Would you like?"

"Yes, I would." He gave it to me and I dropped it in the vase. I pointed to a white shimmering one. "That one?"

"This is the Luscious Lotus. Hold it up in the sun and it looks like it's embedded with diamonds."

He handed it to me and I put it in the base with the Blue Bell Tunicate. After a long time of picking flowers I walked away from the creepy area with a vase of flowers, one of each kind. Blue Bell Tunicate, Luscious Lotus, Purple Foxglove, Nigra Hollycock, Foxglove White, Flower of an Hour, and many, many other rare flowers. I walked into the apartment.

"Yada! I'm here."

I heard footsteps. I turned around to see Yada coming out of her room. "I was beginning to worry. Yhan told me he saw you fighting some man and when you didn't come back I was hoping nothing hap…" her gaze fell on the vase of flowers. "Oh my, those are beautiful. Where'd you get the money?"

I shrugged as she took it. "Not much need for money. The lady gave me a sale on the vase and she told me to go to this man with rare flowers and he gave me the flowers for free. It's a gift from me to you for letting me stay."

She set them down in the living room. "Well, they're perfect. Thank you."

"I'm going back into town. I just wanted to drop off the flowers."

"Of course, just be careful."

I rolled my eyes. "Yada, you know I'm a street fighter. Where ever I go trouble only follows." I smiled and left the apartment again.

It was amazing how quickly I bonded with Yada. She was like the mother I've always wanted. As I walked through town I could hear people whispering to each other as I passed. I glared at a few of them but others I only rolled my eyes. I heard another person whisper something about me. I was about to yell at them, but a hand clamped over my mouth and an arm wrapped around my waist and I was pulled into the shadows of an alley.

"Malika, what are you doing?"

I turned around, ready to strike, but when I noticed the voice I haven't heard in what seemed like forever, I dropped my stance. "Nekai?"

The boy smirked. "Glad you remember me."

I threw my arms around his neck. "What are you doing here?"

He hugged me in return. "I think I should ask you the same thing." I pulled away and stared into his gold eyes. His hair was short and stood up like spikes. Even though he was just a year older than me, the features on his face were child like even though he was slightly mature. Growing up on the streets your maturity decreases, but at a decent level so you're mature enough to handle yourself if needed. His body was a little more built than the last time I saw him, which was about a year ago.

"So, what are you doing here? How'd you get here from Ember Island?"

I smiled at him. "It's a long story."

He sat down on the ground. "I've got time." I sat next to him and told him the story from when I first met Aang and everyone to how I got to Senlai. "So you're here all because the Fire Lord kept a huge secret from you and you called off the wedding and ran away?" I nodded. "Well, where are you living now? If you don't have a place to stay I have a place that I stay at with a couple of others."

"More Left Outs?"

That's what Nekai and I called kids and teens like us, Left Outs. We're out on the street because we either needed freedom or felt left out of our family. "Yeah. We just took in a brother and sister we found yesterday."

We rarely find siblings. "So you and all of the Left Outs came here? Is Breana still in the group?"

"And doesn't plan on leaving."

I smiled. "Well, are you gonna show me the way or are we gonna sit in dirt all day?" He stood up and helped me up. We began walking down the alley and walked on for what felt like forever. "So, when did you guys get here?"

"We left Ember Island as soon as you left the group. You were practically the leader so we had no idea what to do. We barely survived after you left. A lot of us were nearly turned in to Ozai, but we got away. Knowing it was too dangerous we came here. It's pretty much the only island in the world that wasn't involved with the war."

"That's smart." We came to a bunch of houses that were worn out and breaking down. "This is where you guys live?"

"No one comes around here anymore so we made it our home." He looked around before putting his index finger and thumb in his mouth. He whistled loudly. "Come out guys! There's someone you need to see!"

Suddenly lots of kids and other teens came out of hiding. The youngest were at least six and the oldest were at least eighteen. "Is it another Left Out?" I heard a male voice ask.

"No, it's the original leader."

I saw the male step forward and I nearly broke down. I didn't take a long look at him, for I turned my head. I didn't have to take a long look at him to remember what he looks like. Dark hair, muscular, golden eyes, tall. His hair was slightly spiky and messy on top of his head and his clothes were ripped. He had dirt on his arms and face, but he didn't seem to mind.

"What is she doing here?"

I turned my attention back to him and glared. "I'm only paying a friendly visit. If you want me to leave I could just go." I turned to leave, but Nekai stopped me.

"Don't go, you just got here."

"Well, obviously Raiku doesn't want me here." I looked around at the others. Many faces were familiar but others were strangers.

"I want you here." I looked up to see Breana walking towards me.

"Breana!" I ran over to the girl and hugged her.

"What is your problem? Just leaving us to fend for ourselves?"

"You all had each other. It was my time to go. My mother would've found me and put me through that stupid marriage."

She pulled away and looked at me and I looked at her. Her dark hair grew over time, just past her shoulders. She was as tall as me and she had the light brown eyes like most fire benders. "You got out of the marriage?" I nodded.

"You should've gone through with it." I looked at Raiku.

"Look, no one asked you. Ok? No one asked you and no one will ask you. So just stay out of people's conversation. That was one reason the 'event' happened." I walked past everyone, even though I didn't know where I was going. I heard footsteps behind me.

"And after all this time you two are still fighting."

"Now you see why I broke up with him? He's a jerk."

"Like the Fire Lord?"

"The Fire Lord?" I heard two different voices. Breana's and Raiku's.

"It's a long story and again with butting in on people's conversations." I looked up to see the sun start to set. "Look, I really have to go home."

"Home? You're not staying?"

"It's a good thing too." Raiku said as he walked away, some of the kids following him. The others went back to their homes.

"No, I…Yada is probably looking for me. She took me in."

"We can walk you back." I smiled and nodded. The three of us turned back around and began to walk.

I told Breana the story of what happened. "You and the Fire Lord? How do you get all the hot guys?"

"Hey, she didn't get me." Nekai said next to me.

I hit him. "I've known about your little crush on me. It was never a secret to begin with."

"What? How'd you know?"

"You show it too much." Breana said. The two of us laughed as Nekai only blushed.

I wrapped my arms around his shoulders. "Don't feel so down. You're making me sad. You know I love you…like a brother." I kissed him on his cheek and pulled away.

"Yeah, thanks for that, Malika. You brought my 'little crush', as you two put it, back. I was totally over you a while after you left." We laughed. I stopped in front of the apartment. "This your place?"

"Yeah. You guys wanna come in? Yada won't mind." They shrugged and followed me inside. We walked up the many stairs and finally came to the apartment. I opened the door. "Yada! I'm home!" I closed the door behind the two. "Yada!" I heard something fall in the back.

"Oh crap! I'm coming!" I heard papers rustling and she finally came out of her room. She stopped when she saw Breana and Nekai. "Oh, hello. You made friends already?"

"Actually I've known these two for years. Before I became the ultimate street fighter I was just a street fighter with a group called the Left Outs. These two were part of that group. The whole group is on this island, Yada. With more members and old ones." I smiled at her.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Because I need to help them."

"What do you expect me to do?"

I shrugged. "We need to give them food. You can cook for them. I know you like to cook. It's what you do, it's what all us women do for a living. It sucks, but some women love it. You're one of them."

She sighed. "How many are there?" I was just about to answer when she held up her hand. "Never mind, I don't think I want to know. I'll just make a whole bunch of food. But I need ingredients. I don't have enough food for many people."

"Just give us the money and we'll go get food. And a lot, I know."

She looked at us. "Ok. I'll begin to cook what I have for now and you can go give them the food in the morning."

"The morning? We need it now." Breana said.

"It'll be too dark out."

"Yada, you're forgetting that we're street fighters. And we have been for a long time. I think we can handle a couple of people out there."

"I won't risk it. The two of you can stay tonight and leave with the food in the morning. You should get cleaned up. I'll start dinner for the four of us and then I'll begin to cook for your…Left Out people." I rolled my eyes. "The bathroom is in the back. Go get cleaned up." Breana and Nekai made their way to the back as I sat down at the table. "So…how long have you been in that group?"

I shrugged. "I created the group. I was practically the leader. Breana was the first one I picked up, then Nekai, then…" I didn't finish. Raiku was the third person in our happy group of friends.

"Then who?"

"Um…Raiku."

"Oh? Who is he?"

"I'm not comfortable talking about it."

"Ex-boyfriend?"

I sighed. "Yeah." Our conversation ended with that.

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**A/N: **tada. viola. here you are. so Malika met up with some old friends of hers. things start getting more interesting now with the whole ex-boyfriend thing, right? ^^ review. tell me what you think.


	19. Chapter 19

Hey! originally i planned on posting this sunday bcuz SUNDAY WAS MY BDAY! ^^ but that didn't happen so its a few days late. hope you like it anyway.

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Zuko's P.O.V.

The five of us approached the house that my Uncle now occupied in Ba Sing Se. It was quite large, a two story house. Had he not expected people to visit once in awhile, I wouldn't know what he'd do with the extra space. Uncle greeted us, but it wasn't the time for reunions. "It is wonderful that you are al here and I am glad to welcome you into my home. Though I am afraid there's a bigger dilemma. We must confront Long Feng immediately."

"Confront him about what, though? We all know that we need to kick him out of power so that someone else can rule over the Earth Kingdom."

"Do you have any suggestions, Nephew?"

"Yes, actually, I do. I talked to Malika about it and we both agree."

"Would you mind sharing your idea with us?"

I walked behind Toph and set my hands on her shoulders. "Our favorite earth bender, Toph Bei Fong."

"What!" Everyone yelled.

"Uncle, take a minute to think about it. Toph might be a crazy, power hungry earth bender, but we can all rely on her. She may be young and look helpless but she could rule over an entire country. Her skills are beyond that of what we know and it fits the job perfectly, don't you think?"

He looked back and forth between me and Toph. He sighed. "I think you're right. It's the only thing we can do."

"That's great idea and all, but how do we get Long Feng out of power?" Sokka asked.

"They can't resist the Fire Lord. Of course, I'd never start another war, but they can't do anything else about it." They all nodded and we walked out of the house.

Malika's P.O.V.

Nekai, Breana, and I were eating while Yada went out to get a few things. I poked around my food with my chopsticks. "What's wrong with you?" Breana asked me.

I looked up at her. "Yada has a secret and I want to find out what it is."

"You know we're good at finding secrets."

I nodded. "Breana, I want you to help me. Nekai, whenever Yada comes back I need you to distract her."

They nodded. Breana and I stood up and walked to Yada's room. We took different halves of the room and began to search. Pulling open drawers and looking under the bed. "Hey, look what I found."

I stood up. "What is it?"

"A picture of her and a little boy."

I walked over to her. "It must be her son. She said she had a son. Let me see it." She handed me the picture that she found. I studied it and nearly dropped the picture. I shook my head. "You are one sneaky person." I whispered to myself. "Put it back where you found it." I said, handing her the picture back.

"You sound disappointed. This isn't giving you much information?"

"Trust me, it gave me plenty."

Zuko's P.O.V.

Once we arrived at the palace we were greeted by Long Feng himself. "Well, well, well, what do we have here? The Fire Lord along with his companions. Might I ask where the Avatar is?"

"He's not here, obviously." I said, stepping forward.

He smirked. "The Fire Lord without his all powerful companion? Well, this will be interesting. Shall we go somewhere more comfortable?" He turned around and walked down the hall with two Dai Li agents following closely behind. We followed him. We walked into the throne room. And, of course, Long Feng sat in the throne much to my disgust. "So, what brings you here?" He asked, leaning forward to set his elbows on his knees and support his head with his hands.

"We've come here to remind you that you have no rights over Ba Sing Se. You're technically not permitted to rule." I said.

He sat up and glared at me. "What?"

"Do not make me repeat myself, Long Feng."

He laughed. "Even if I didn't _want_ to rule, which of course I do, the king is no longer here and he doesn't have an heir. Without an heir, there is an open spot to power and control. Who else could possibly take over?"

"Miss Toph Bei Fong, of course."

"A little blind girl? It must be a joke."

"I assure you, she's capable of doing much more than you, and she's only twelve years old."

Toph tapped me on the shoulder. "I'm thirteen, Sparky."

I narrowed my eyes at her. "Does it matter?" She shrugged and backed away.

"You think that a mere child, one at only an age of twelve, could surpass me?"

"I'm-"

I covered Toph's mouth before she said anything else. "I don't think that she could surpass you as a ruler, I know she can surpass. Matter of fact, I'm sure she already has. And as Fire Lord I am asking you as kindly as I can to hand over the throne to her."

He threw his head back and laughed manically. "And besides you being the Fire Lord, what kind of power do you exactly have to make me hand over the throne?"

I gritted my teeth and clenched my fists. I stared directly into Long Feng's cold, hard glare and stared him down. "I can declare war against the Earth Kingdom," There were few gasps from my group of friends. They must've known I was bluffing. "Even if the world will hate me, and I'm sure they will…it's either that or you hand over the throne. Even if you deny me…I think we can take you and your agents." He glared at me. I smirked. "You know what I'm capable of doing, Long Feng. Did you already forget who my father was? Who my sister was? Just because I may not be like them…I can try my best."

Sweat trickled down the side of his face, probably from memories of Azula. His face went straight. "I will not give up my throne any time soon. You will leave the palace immediately. If you must, you can come back tomorrow and we can attempt to see…eye to eye, but I won't give up the throne." I glared at him before turning around with everyone else and walking out of the palace.

"He's never going to give up. No matter what we do." I said as I leaned against the wall of my room that I shared with Toph. We had to share because Iroh only had the three rooms and I refused to share with Sokka. Toph insisted on taking the floor so I got to sleep on the bed, which was probably better for me anyways with all of these problems I was going through. I highly doubted myself at the moment, having to confront Long Feng and hopefully reason with him so he would hand over the throne. But I should've known it wasn't going to be this easy.

"We have to try. What happened to the never-give-up-without-a-fight Sparky I know?" Toph said as she lay on a pile of pillows on the floor.

"He's still in here…somewhere." The room went silent. Everyone else had gone to bed.

"Any ideas as to where Tough Cookie might be?"

I looked out the window and into the distance. Wondering where she could be, what she was doing…and if she was safe. Being the reckless girl she is, trouble follows her everywhere. "No, I don't have a single idea. Hopefully in the few more days we have…Katara will come back with her."

"Do you think Sugar Queen is ok?"

"She's covering the waters. I hope she's ok. As tough as she is…she might not survive out there much longer." I closed my eyes as silence took over the room again.

"I'm tired. I'm going to sleep. Don't stay up too late."

"Don't worry. I won't." I looked at Toph as she turned on her side, her back facing me. I smiled. I looked at the candles and they went out.

Malika's P.O.V.

After we ate that night we got ready for bed as Yada was cooking for the Left Outs. "I'll be right back." I told Breana and Nekai. I walked into the kitchen and stood next to Yada.

She smiled at me. "Is there something you need?"

"I just thought that…if I'm gonna be here awhile we should get to know each other even better. So…you have any secrets that us two can share? You know, like, girl to girl?" She shook her head. Just as she was about to say something there was a knock on the door.

I walked over to the door and opened it to see Yhan. "Ah, Malika. Good to see you."

"Good to see you too, Yhan. Do you need something?"

"Actually, I came to tell Yada that a young man dropped by my house looking for you. He said he had a question then changed his mind. Have any idea what that's about?"

"It was probably Min-Se. Thank you for telling me, Yhan." Yada said. Yhan smiled and nodded before walking away. I closed the door then walked back over to Yada.

"Ok, so back to our previous conversation about sharing. The whole girl to girl thing. What do you say?"

"You tell me your secret first and I'll tell you mine. Deal?"

I pursed my lips and narrowed my eyes. I slowly shook my head. "No deal, Yada. Or should I say, hm…I don't know…Ursa."

She stopped cooking and hung her head. "How'd you find out?"

"While you were gone Breana and I looked around your room. I knew you were keeping a secret and you were. I found a picture of you and Zuko years ago. Why didn't you just tell me?"

"Because, I didn't want you to know. Seriously, I mean, do you think you'd be calm if you found out you're living under the same roof as your ex's mother?"

"I guess I would've freaked a little."

She went back to stirring the food in the pot. "Exactly what I thought."

"But instead of keeping a secret you still could've just told me. I'm surprised you didn't nearly blow it to find out that your could've-been-daughter-in-law is now living with you. Especially when she's the one that called off the wedding."

"I'm not mad because I'd do the same thing. If I found out that my boyfriend wasn't sure if he could love me or not…I would've called off the wedding as well."

"And that's exactly why I did it." We were silent for awhile.

"You should get some rest." She said.

I knew she was just swerving around the topic. I didn't blame her. It was pretty hard to talk about. I nodded anyway. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

I slowly walked to my room. When I walked in, Nekai and Breana were sitting on the floor. They looked up at me. "Is everything ok?" Nekai asked.

I smiled and nodded. "We should get some sleep." I walked over to my small bed and lay down on my back. I could feel two pairs of eyes staring at me. I sat up and looked at them with an annoyed look. "Are you guys gonna stare at me all night or actually get some sleep?"

"Ok, ok. Still as bossy as ever, I see." Breana mumbled. I took my pillow and threw it at her head. "Hey!"

I smiled and lay back down. "Goodnight, you two." They lay back on the blankets beneath them. When I heard their steady breathing I huffed and the candles went out.

* * *

"Malika, wake up."

I opened my eyes to face Ursa. I turned onto my stomach. "Ten more minutes."

"Wake up, someone's here to see you."

"Who?"

"Just get out of bed."

"Malika, don't get out of bed!" I heard Nekai's voice.

"Someone's telling me to get out and the other is telling me to stay in bed. I'm going with the one who's telling me to stay in bed and ignoring the other one."

"Malika, get your butt out of bed right now!"

"Who are you? My mother?"

"I could've been."

I sat up and glared at Ursa. "You've gone too far. Now, who wants to see me?" I heard footsteps come closer to my room and a voice that came with them, and I knew who it was. I looked away. "Can I go back to bed?"

"Can we talk?"

The voice asked, surprisingly making my heart skip a beat. I pulled my knees to my chest. "How did you find me?"

"I know you too well." There was silence.

"I'll leave you two to talk." Ursa said. I heard the door close and the protests fade away as Ursa pushed Nekai to the front of the house.

"What do you want to talk about?"

"I want to apologize. I never apologized."

I looked at him. "Like I need an apology from you. I was hoping that…I made the right decision in giving you a chance. I never should've…" I looked up at the ceiling. "Ever since the day _he_ died…"

"Don't talk about this, Malika. Please. Not now."

I ignored him. "You were supposed to have made me feel better. You were supposed to have mended my broken self….You didn't do what you were supposed to do. And then I thought I found someone else."

"The new Fire Lord." I looked down and nodded. A tear fell down my face. The bed shifted as Raiku sat down. I didn't meet his gaze. "What happened between you two?"

I shook my head. "Forget it. It's nothing you need to know. You should really go though."

"But I'm trying to apologize."

"For what? What did you do?"

"I was being a jerk to you."

"It's too late for that, Raiku. It's been about…what? Over a year since the breakup? You don't have to apologize."

"But I want to."

I looked in his golden eyes. They weren't as golden as Zuko, but close enough to make my heart wither and crumble into ash. "You should go." I whispered.

He looked away. "I'll help carry the food over to the hide out."

I clicked my tongue and smiled a bitter smile behind tears. "So that's what you really came here for. To help bring food to everyone and be the hero like you're always trying to be. Everyone always tries to be the hero." I mumbled to myself, remembering that time I had an argument with Zuko. I shook the thoughts from my head.

"No, Malika, that's not what I'm here for. I came here to apologize and found out you were bringing food back."

I glared at him. "Just leave and get out. I never want to see you again."

"Malika-"

I stood up and he jumped up. "Just leave and get out! Take the food to everyone. I don't care! Just leave me alone!" Flames shot up from the candles. Raiku looked at me with worry in his eyes and I noticed that he wasn't freaked out or scared or anything else _but_ worried. He was still used to me and that didn't make the situation any better. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm down. "Just leave. Please." He took one last look at me before opening the door and walking out. I fell to my knees with a tear stained face.

Zuko's P.O.V.

I had purposely slept in even though the sun was practically begging me to wake up. Toph had bothered me for several minutes. Kicking my sides and poking my face. Before I nearly yelled and threatened her she gave up trying to wake me up. No one else bothered me either. When I woke up the house was empty. I sat up and rubbed my face. I looked out the window to see the sun high in the sky. I sighed.

Malika's P.O.V.

I opened my eyes and sat up from the floor. I hadn't noticed that I fell asleep. I looked around my room to see scorch marks on the walls and furniture. I stood up and ran out of my room, nearly running into Ursa. "Oops, sorry. I was just coming to check you."

"Where're Nekai and Breana?"

"They took the food back to their little group. They didn't want to bother you after the incident."

I furrowed my eyebrows. "What incident?"

"You don't remember?"

"The last thing I remember was Raiku leaving. That's it."

"You left out the part where you nearly turned your room to ashes. Nekai had tried to calm you down and you just…blew. He had to put out the fire and you were…gone. Just passed out. We didn't move you onto the bed because we didn't know what would happen."

"That's why I found scorch marks."

Ursa nodded. "Nekai and Breana said that you could go see them if you wanted. They weren't sure if they were coming back."

"Then I'll be on my way." I moved past her and ran out the door.

"What's the rush, Malika?" I stopped and turned around to see Yhan.

I smiled. "Just going to meet some friends."

He nodded. "Just be careful out there."

"I always am." I turned back around and ran down the stairs and out of the apartment. I ran down the streets and all the way to the other side of town. I began to slow down when I noticed the area. I put my index finger and thumb in my mouth and whistled. Kids and teens began to pile out of the hideout. They all smiled at me. One kid, around ten, came up to me. I recognized her from when I was still around. "Len, how are you?" I asked as I knelt down to level with her.

She smiled. "Are you gonna stay with us, Malika? Are you coming back to stay?"

My expression fell. "I don't know. I'll try to make things better, but I don't know if I can stay." She nodded and walked away.

"Malika!" I stood up just in time to be tackled by two figures. "We were worried about you." Breana said.

"I tried telling you that you shouldn't have gotten out of bed." Nekai said.

"Yes, and I appreciate it. But of course I had to get up sooner or later and deal with Raiku's crap."

"And then you went crazy and nearly set the whole place on fire." I rolled my eyes.

"So are you gonna hang out with us this time?" Breana asked.

I smiled and nodded. "Sure." The three of us walked inside.

* * *

**A/N: **Did you like it? I hope you did. oh! i think i forgot to mention that Breana's name is pronounced bray-ann-uh. just thought you should know. review!


	20. Chapter 20

Hello! Ok so...i don't have much to say. enjoy ^^

* * *

Six Days Later

Katara's P.O.V.

For the seven days that I was wandering about the waters, I had no luck in finding Malika. I didn't want to return to my friends. Especially Zuko. If I see him, Id only be consumed by guilt for the fact that I hadn't returned with the one he loves. But I had to go back, or I'd just cause more problems. I eventually made it to Ba Sing Se and was headed for the Middle Ring. I wasn't given instructions as to the exact place where we'd meet, but I had a feeling I'd find them without difficulty despite the large city. I walked around the Middle Ring for what seemed like hours, but was probably minutes if not more.

"Katara!"

I whipped my head around to see Sokka running towards me. I smiled. He quickly wrapped his arms around me, nearly knocking the two of us to the ground.

"Great to see you again, too." I said.

He let go of me and I could see the tears forming in his eyes, but his "manliness" wouldn't allow it. "I'm so glad you're ok."

I smiled, my own tears forming. I looked behind Sokka to see the rest of my friends appear.

"Sugar Queen!"

"Toph!" I hugged the blind girl.

"Life has been boring without you."

I let go and hugged Suki. "I'm glad you're ok." She whispered in my ear. I pulled away.

Then another pair of arms wrapped around me. They were as warm as the first time I hugged the man in my life, and the guilt slowly started to eat away at me from the pit of my stomach, making its way up until I was nothing. I took a deep breath, not allowing the guilt to get to me any more than I was. I braced myself before I turned around to face Zuko.

"I'm sorry." I said as I threw my arms around his neck.

"For what?"

I pulled away and averted my gaze. "I couldn't find Malika. I looked everywhere, but I still couldn't find her."

"It's ok. Really."

My spirit began to lift. "Did you guys find her?" I asked, hope rising in my voice. But I should've known better.

"No. Long Feng kept us from looking for her so we didn't get to go to Senlai or anywhere else."

My stomach churned at the sound of Long Feng's name. I was utterly disgusted and repulsed by that man. I narrowed my eyes. "I can handle Long Feng."

Zuko shook his head. "Don't do anything. We just need to find a time to look for her but also a time where we can find a way to get Long Feng away from the throne."

I looked down, thinking over some things. I looked up at him. "What about Aang? When is he gonna be back?"

"Soon, but I don't know when."

I looked up at the sky. The sun was slowly getting lower. "Well, I'm tired. I need sleep."

"Of course. Uncle Iroh is back at the house. We should go." I nodded. The five of us left for the Upper Ring.

Malika's P.O.V.

As soon as I woke up, I ran out of my room and into the kitchen. "Ursa, wake up! I'm hungry!" Silence met my response. "Ursa!"

"Make your own breakfast! Some people are still asleep at this time."

I rolled my eyes. "You're forgetting that I lived on the streets half of my life. I don't know _how_ to cook." Again, silence. I just about gave when a sly thought occurred to me. I smiled deviously. "Fine! But if I burn down the house I'm blaming you!"

"I'm coming!" I smirked. A few minutes later Ursa came out of her room. "I'm going to tell you something right now: You're just as spoiled and stubborn as Zuko was."

I rolled my eyes. "And still is." She smiled and turned around to prepare breakfast. "You miss him, don't you?" I asked her. She nodded. We were silent for awhile. Another thought occurred to me. _Don't be selfish, Malika. You're doing this for Ursa._ I took a deep breath. "I can take you to him."

She froze before looking at me. Her brown eyes searched my face. "How?"

"He's in Ba Sing Se. He's trying to find a way to get the throne to be handed over to one of our friends."

She stared at me a little longer before turning away. "No, I won't do that to you. You don't want to see him and I don't want to make things worse just because you're trying to help me."

I couldn't help but to feel relieved. _Selfish._ I'm not selfish. _Self-centered. _I'm definitely not self-centered. I just…I just…oh great. I no longer know who I am. "Ursa, I owe you. It's the least I can do."

She looked at me again. "Ok, suppose I say I want to go. How are we going to get there? We don't have a boat."

I smirked. "Ursa, you're forgetting that I have friends who are highly skilled at stealing anything and it's all thanks to me. We can do this."

She smiled at me. "I'd appreciate it."

* * *

"Breana! Nekai! I need you guys!" I yelled as I walked through the ruined town.

"What do you need?"

I jumped and turned around to see Nekai. "Where did you come from?"

He pointed up at a building. "My room."

I looked up to see a window or at least what was a window and is now a huge hole. I nodded and looked at him. "Where's Breana?"

"Probably sparring with Raiku." I rolled my eyes. "You don't have to-"

"No, it's fine. Just take me to them." He shrugged and walked off. I followed him.

Walking deeper into the ruined town made me remember the old days when it was the four of us living off of nothing but each other's company and relying on each other. It was all about trust and skills when it came to us. Without trust, we would've definitely been on our own. Without skills, we would've had each other, but no stolen food that we fed off of and we wouldn't have found shelter so easily, if you could call it easy. A few minutes later we came into a clearing where Breana and Sen-Rai were sparring.

They both stopped and looked at me. Breana smiled. "What's up, Malika?"

"I need you and Nekai to help me steal a boat."

"For what?"

I hesitated before continuing. "I'm going to find Zuko."

"I thought you hated the guy." Nekai said.

"I'm not doing this for me. It's for Ur-Yada. It's for Yada." They looked at me, obviously confused. "I don't have time to explain I just need help."

Breana smiled. "Well, what else are friends for? Let's go."

I turned around to leave with Breana and Nekai, but stopped. I looked at Raiku. We stared at each other for awhile. I swallowed and looked away. I would probably regret what I was about to do, but despite my mean, bossy, tough-girl status, I always had a kind heart. "You can come, too, if you want." He smiled and followed us to the shores.

* * *

Once we climbed the hills we looked down at the shore, lying on our stomachs so we wouldn't be easily spotted. Boats were docked all along the shore line and people were just about everywhere. I had to plan this out carefully, but I didn't have too much time. We still had to get Ursa, but we had to get the boat. We couldn't do one or the other first in risk of getting spotted and arrested. We needed to do both right then and there. With Breana being the weakest out of the four of us, she would get Ursa. During that time period, we would need a distraction to get the people away from the boats. Giving me enough time to pick one out, get everyone on board, and take off. Even if I had the plan in my head, it would still be a difficult task.

"This is going to be a bit harder than I thought. Breana, I need you to go get Yada and bring her here. As soon as we get the boat were ditching this place." Breana nodded and ran back down the way we came. "Now we need to find a decent boat to take." I searched all of the boats and found a smallish ship that the five of us could take. I pointed to it. "That one. We need that one, but I need a distraction. You two need to get everyone away from the boat. Think you can handle it?"

Raiku smirked. "They don't know what's coming for them. Wait for the signal." They ran down to the shore.

It took me a second to realize what he said. "What signal?" I called down to them, but they either didn't hear me or chose to ignore me.

I lay there, watching the two as they snuck up behind someone. Nekai distracted the man, talking loud enough to get other's attention. While Nekai spoke to the man, Raiku took something from him, completely noticeable. He and Nekai both ran for it, waving the object in the air, clearing saying, "We stole something of yours and you can't have it." The man yelled at them as they ran away. Other people gathered around as the man explained what they stole and they all grabbed something heavy or sharp and they chased down Raiku and Nekai. I smiled. When I was positive no one was around, I ran down the hill and towards the boat. I hid behind a few crates, waiting. I ran onto the boat.

"Hey, what do you think you're doing, girly?"

I froze. _Quick, think of something. Anything!_ I looked at the man and smiled, tilting my head and shrugging my shoulders. "I'm sorry. I guess I wasn't paying attention to what I was doing and wandered on here. I'm sorry."

The man studied me, his face partially smashed in, his lip turned up, and his eyes squinted. "Well maybe you should go."

I forced myself to look embarrassed, folding my hands behind my back and kicking at absolutely nothing. "Oh. I understand. Sorry to disturb you."

I slowly turned on my heel, taking a few steps forward before quickly spinning around. I bended out a stream of water and wrapped it around the man, then I threw him off of the ship. I waited for more people to come from beneath the boat, but no more came. _Well, that was boring._ I waited for everyone to hurry up so we could leave for Ba Sing Se. I saw Raiku and Nekai running towards the boat and then Breana and Ursa came running down the hill. I pushed and pulled the water to get the boat a little farther out without having to get off. The boat started to drift.

"Hey! She's stealing our boat!"

I laughed. "Yeah I am!" Ursa, Breana, Raiku and Nekai ran into the water and climbed up onto the boat. "Ba Sing Se, here we come."

Zuko's P.O.V.

Now that Katara was back, safe and sound, I could relax a little more if not at all. But the fact that Katara came back without Malika…I didn't exactly know how to react. I could only act fine, though my chest felt tight and I felt unable to breathe. We all sat at the table with a cup of tea, courtesy of Uncle, and a plate of food. I only sat there staring off into space.

"So, what's the plan now?" Katara asked.

"The same plan as before. We need to find some way to get Long Feng out of power, but he won't give up without a fight. We suspected as much, but…it's still pretty difficult to figure out exactly what we'll do." Sokka said.

"I'm surprised someone hasn't planned a rebellion against him yet."

"Planned a rebellion against who?"

We all turned around to see Aang standing in the doorway. "Aang!"

"Twinkle Toes!" Everyone except Uncle and I got up to hug the Avatar.

"We weren't expecting you until tomorrow."

"Well, the North Pole didn't need too much help so I wasn't there too long. Then the way back took awhile. I could've been here sooner, though."

"Well, we're glad you're here." There was silence for a while.

"Where's Malika?"

I bit my lip unable to say a thing. I looked away from the pairs of eyes that pierced straight through me, waiting for me to say something. My only response was going upstairs to my room.

Aang's P.O.V.

I watched as Zuko stormed out of the room. I was confused as to what just happened. _How much have I missed since I've been gone? _I closed my eyes and shook my head, hoping it was a dream. But when I opened my eyes there was no change. Zuko was still gone and everyone had sad expressions on their faces.

"What's wrong with him?" I asked.

Katara looked at me with hurt in her eyes. "Malika is gone." Katara said.

"What? What do you mean she's gone?"

"She ran away. She jumped off of the ship on our way here. I spent a week in the water looking for her. No luck."

I started to freak out. There was no way one of my friends could just disappear like that. "Well, have you tried looking on nearby islands?"

"We never got a chance because Long Feng is keeping us here." Sokka said.

"What's going on with Long Feng?"

"We're trying to get him to hand over the throne so Toph can take over. She's the only one who can so…it only makes sense. Don't you think?" _Making Toph the Earth Queen, where they kidding? That spells total chaos!_ But I nodded anyway. "Well, we need to do whatever we can to get Malika back."

Malika's P.O.V.

I took a deep breath as I steered the boat. The sun was setting and the sound of the waves was calming. I just about fell asleep right then and there. "Do you want me to take over?"

I turned around to see Raiku. I shook my head. "No, I'm fine. Thanks anyway." I turned back around. I pushed my hair behind my ear as the wind kept blowing it all around. _This is pretty nerve-racking._

"Malika, you're tired. I can steer the boat if you want." He came up next to me.

I looked at him. "Fine, you can steer." I backed away from the wheel and he took it.

It was quiet for awhile. "What was it like to live in the palace?"

I could tell he was only making small talk. Anything to avoid tension between us. "Um…it's pretty cool."

"Is it better than living on the streets?"  
I smiled and shrugged, wrapping my arms around myself. "I don't know. I love the pampering and stuff every now and then, but…I miss the fighting on the streets."

He nodded. "That's cool."

I took a deep breath. "I'm going to bed. I'm tired."

"Ok, I'll come wake you guys up when we're there."

I walked down below to see that everyone was asleep. Breana slept in the cot above Nekai's and Ursa slept in the other lower one. I got up on the top one and quickly fell asleep.

* * *

"Malika, wake up."

I opened my eyes. I rubbed them. "What happened? What time is it?"

"It's morning."

"Morning?" I looked at Raiku.

"Yeah, I let you guys sleep in."

I threw my legs over the edge of the cot. I stretched and yawned. I bent my knees and jumped down. I stood up straight. "Well, let's go see my ex. What do you say?"

"It's a bad idea."

I laughed. Realizing what just happened, I attempted to stop, but there was no stopping the warm sensation traveling up my neck and to my cheeks. I averted his gaze and smiled the slightest bit. After all of the things we went through he can still make me laugh.

"Shall we?" He asked, smiling at me. He motioned his head toward the door and we walked out together.

"Good morning." Nekai said.

I smiled. "Morning." I turned around to see that we were indeed in Ba Sing Se. "Well, let's get this over with."

* * *

**A/N: **I know. short chapter. but i'll try to make the next one longer, kay? hope you liked it. you guys can ask me or tell me anything about the story! or something that has nothing to do with the story if you want. ^^


	21. Chapter 21

Summer break is here! yay! so i should be posting a lot! Ok, so originally this chapter was longer but i wanted to shorten it because...well you'll find out at the end. ^^ but yeah. so enjoy.

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Zuko's P.O.V.

I sat on the windowsill looking out at the city. I hadn't come out since yesterday and I barely ate anything. As I was in deep thought, there was a knock on the door. "Come in."

The door opened and Katara came in with a plate of food. "Are you hungry?" I looked back out the window and shook my head. I heard her sigh. "Zuko, you need to eat something. Sitting in your room all sad and depressed isn't going to bring her back."

I looked at her. "I never said it was."

She set down the plate on the dresser then came over to sit next to me. "Hey, I know you miss her. I do too, but…starving yourself won't make things better."

I hung my head down, unable to look directly at her. Her arms were too much like Malika's. "I know it won't."

"So why won't you eat?" I shrugged and looked back out the window. "Do you want one of the guys to come talk to you or Toph?"

I shook my head. "I just want to be alone." She nodded and stood up. She took one last glance at me before walking out of my room and leaving me in silence.

Malika's P.O.V.

"You have no idea how uncomfortable I feel being on this thing." We were sitting on the train that was headed for the Upper Ring.

"What are you really uncomfortable about?" Breana ask.

"Going to see Zuko. Ursa, can't you just go without me?" Breana, Raiku and Nekai discovered her true identity when I told them who she truly is. If I hadn't, it would obviously be confusing as to why she'd want to see Zuko, but they were perfectly fine about it.

"No, I'm not going without you. I don't know where he is."

"And you think I do?" After a few minutes of silence between the five of us the train came to a stop and everyone piled out. I look all around to see tons of houses in the Upper Ring.

"Ok, so what do we do now?" Ursa asked.

"Iroh! I heard that Iroh has a tea shop called the Jasmine Dragon. It's here in the Upper Ring!"

"Then we should go look for the Jasmine Dragon." We began to walk away to who-knows-where.

Katara's P.O.V.

After my small talk with Zuko I went into the front room to eat with everyone else. After Eventually, our meal was over with as we continued in dreadful silence, and Iroh stood up and stretched. "Well, I'm off to check on my tea shop. I haven't seen it in a long time, for I never got the chance to when we came."

"Can I go with you?" I asked.

"You want to help?" I nodded. "Well, we should get going. Whenever Zuko decides to come out of his room you should all go back down to the palace." With a nod, Iroh and I walked out of his house and made a long walk to the tea shop. "Would you mind waiting the tables?" He asked.

I shook my head. "Of course I don't mind." He smiled at me.

* * *

We were finally at the tea shop and working right away. Once Iroh was there more customers seemed to have been coming in. I was constantly going back and forth between taking people's orders and serving them tea or a snack. A few hours later it was my break time. I sat at the table closest to the kitchen. Iroh came over to my table and gave me a cup of tea. "So little time can do a number on you here." He said with a low chuckle.

"How can you stand the work?" I asked.

"Making tea is one of many things I enjoy." With a smile he went back into the kitchen.

I slumped in my seat and took a small sip of tea. "I don't know how much longer I can work." I muttered to myself.

Malika's P.O.V.

The five of us asked many people where the Jasmine Dragon was and they all told us the exact same thing: Go that way. "I never thought I'd say this in my life, but I'm tired of all of this walking." Ursa complained. "How can you stand it?"

I smirked. "We've lived on the streets. We rely on fighting and migrating when needed, so walking isn't a problem. We need to keep moving to survive." After a few minutes I finally spotted the Jasmine Dragon. "There it is!" We picked up our speed and found ourselves walking up the steps of the tea shop. We walked in and I looked around, looking for anyone familiar.

"Malika?"

I turned my head around and smiled when I noticed a familiar face. "Katara."

She ran over to me and threw her arms around my neck. "I'm so glad you're here. You have no idea what we've been going through and…where have you been?" She pulled away.

"On Senlai."

"You were there. Malika, we have to go tell everyone. Aang got back yesterday and…we need to tell Zuko!"

She began to tug on my arm to go, but I resisted. "No way am I seeing him."

She looked confused. "What? Malika, you have no idea what he's been going through without you. He won't eat, he won't talk to anyone, he stays in his room and looks out the window all day. Looking for you!"

"Look, I need you to take me to him, but I'm not seeing him."

"That makes no sense."

I pulled her aside and leaned in closer to her. "I found his mom and she really wants to see him."

She looked behind me. "That's Ursa?"

I nodded. "You need to take me to him."

She nodded. "Come here." She grabbed my arm and pulled me to the back. "Iroh, I'm leaving." Katara said to Iroh.

"So soon?" He turned around and stared at me. "Malika, you're back." He put everything that he was doing aside and hugged me. "I'm so glad you're back."

I pulled away. "Iroh, I found her."

"Found who?"

"Ursa. I found her and I'm taking her to see Zuko."

"You found her?" He took off his apron without hesitation. "My other employees will watch the shop. Let's go."

We ran out form the back and through the shop. Everyone was still standing where I left them. When Ursa looked up, her eyes were bright with recognition and happiness. "Iroh!" Ursa called.

"Ursa! My dear." The two hugged as if they were long time friends, which I'm sure they were.

"Hey, I think we should go. The sooner you get to see Zuko the sooner I can get out of there."

* * *

The long walk to the house was full of silence except for the conversation between Iroh and Ursa. Every step I took closer to the house I felt more weight piling onto my shoulders. "Ah, we're here. I'm sure Zuko will be so surprised to see you." Iroh walked up to the door.

"I'm just…gonna stay out here. Don't mention me to Zuko…please." I said, coming to a complete stop. Iroh, Katara and Ursa nodded and they walked inside. Breana, Nekai and Raiku stayed outside with me. I leaned against the side of the house and tried to listen to what was going on inside.

Katara's P.O.V.

We walked inside and no one seemed to recognize Ursa. But why should they? They've never seen her before, but I was surprised they didn't ask questions. "Where's Zuko?" I asked.

"He's still in his room." Sokka said.

I walked to the back of the house to his room. The door was still closed and no sound was coming from inside. I opened his door. He was in the same position he was in when I left a long time ago. "Zuko, can you come out here for a minute, please?"

He looked at me. "Why?"

"Because I need you to come see something."

"You're not going to make me eat."

"I'm not gonna make you eat, but if you don't get out here I'll drag you." He hesitantly stood up and walked out with me. "I guarantee you'll be glad that you came out of your room."

"If it's not Malika then I don't think anything will make me happy."

I stopped and stood in front of him. "You really do love her, don't you?" He looked away. I looked down in guilt, but put a smile on my face. "Well, you might even be happier when you see the surprise." We walked into the front and Ursa stood up from where she was sitting.

"Zuko?"

Zuko looked up and at Ursa. "Mom?"

Zuko's P.O.V.

I stared at my mom. "I-I don't understand…how'd you…where were you all of this time?"

Ursa smiled. "I don't even get a hug? I haven't seen you in about six years." She began to cry. I was speechless and didn't know what to do but shower her in questions that wouldn't even come out. Finally my legs began to move and I found myself in her arms. She pulled away and looked up at me. "Look at how much you've grown. I…I can't believe it."

"How did you get here?"

She shook her head and shrugged. "I-I found my way here. I've been hearing things."

"But how?"

She hesitated. "I can't say."

"Why can't you?" I knew she was holding something back.

"I just can't."

"Mom, after all this time you've been gone in my life you won't even answer a simple question." I heard Katara mutter something. "What?"

She looked at me. "Uh, nothing. I'm just gonna…I think I heard something outside." She ran to the door, but I pulled away from my mother and grabbed Katara by her waist.

"Oh, here we go."

I turned her around. "You guys are hiding something from me." I pulled her behind me and headed for the door. Everyone was suddenly in front of me.

"I really don't think that's necessary, Zuko." Aang said.

"Why?" I glared at all of them. Then I noticed Uncle Iroh sneak out the door.

Malika's P.O.V.

I was standing outside the house and I couldn't hear a single thing going on in there. Suddenly the door opened. I looked at it to see Iroh. He was shooing us away. We needed to go. I grabbed Nekai's arm. "We need to go, like now." The four of us broke into a run. We ran and ran, dodging people that were going the opposite way.

"We should stop." Breana said. The four of us stopped and turned around. I was breathing heavily. I couldn't see the house anymore which means we ran pretty far.

"Are you really afraid of the guy?"

I turned to look at Raiku. "I'm not afraid of him."

"Then why are you running away from him?"

"Because I hate him."

He looked into my eyes. "You always told us that, afraid or not, we have to stand up to things we have no intention of thinking about or seeing." I searched his face then turned around to look back the way we came. "You need to face him after so long, Malika." Raiku continued.

As much as I hated to admit it, he was right. I nodded. "But you guys have to come with me." I said as I looked at them. The three nodded. I sighed. "Let's go back." We began to walk back towards the house.

Zuko's P.O.V.

"You need to tell me what's going on." I said.

"Nothing you need to know." Uncle said.

"Obviously I do. What are you hiding?"

Uncle and my mother exchanged glances. "Zuko, you'll probably find out sooner, but not now." My mother said. There was a knock on the door. She walked over to the door and poked her head out. "I thought you left. What are you doing here?"

"Facing what I've been running away from so long." I knew that voice. Way too well. My mother moved away from the door and Malika came in.

"There's obviously something I'm missing. Fill in the hole." I said.

"I was living on Senlai and I ran into your mother. I moved in with her for awhile." Malika responded.

I looked at my mother. "Why didn't you just tell me?"

"Because Malika didn't want you to know she was here." She said.

I looked at Malika and our eyes met just before she looked away. "You have to talk to me." I said.

"I know." She looked at me. Her blue eyes meeting my gold ones again.

"Well, I think we should leave the two alone. Why don't we all go down to my tea shop for some tea? I need to go back anyway." Iroh walked out with everyone following except three others I didn't recognize.

Malika looked at them and smiled. "Go on, I'll catch up with you guys later."

One girl and guy left, but another one stayed. "Are you sure?" He asked.

Malika nodded. "You always knew you couldn't protect me for long. I thought I made that clear a year ago." His jaw clenched and something flashed in his eyes. He nodded and walked out of the house. I sat down at the table, but Malika continued to stand. "Why'd you keep it from me?"

I looked at her. "What?"

She met my gaze. "Why'd you keep that secret from me? You could've just told me that we couldn't be together."

"No, that's not what it was."

She shook her head. "Of course it was. That's exactly what it was. Why else would you say it if it weren't true?"

"Malika, you weren't supposed to find those."

"Obviously. Why'd you even ask me to marry you if that's what you were thinking?" "It was at the time. But as we got closer…I knew I was wrong about it. I should've burned those. I should've burned them all."

"But you didn't, and it's too late to take it back."

"Malika-"

"No. Will you just listen to me for once? You should've thought about what you were writing. I would've found that note anyway. You never should've written it if you really loved me."

"I still do-"

"Just stop! You put lies into my head, Zuko. You told me lies. Telling me that you love me. And the burn…" Malika looked at the large burn on her right hand. She closed her hand into a tight fist and shut her eyes. "You agreed to it. We both agreed to it. To be together. Never able to turn back."

"Malika, you know I love you."

"You don't understand what I'm saying."

"Then what are you saying?" I stood up and walked closer to her. She backed up against the wall. I stood a few inches away from her. "Malika, you need to tell me everything so I can make things right again."

She shook her head. "It's too late for that." A tear fell down her face. I reached up to wipe it away from her face, but she turned her head. I dropped my hand.

"What can I do to make things right?"

"That's another problem. You've already done so much and you can't take anything back."

"I would if I could."

She looked at me and whispered, "But like I said you can't. There's nothing else you can do." Suddenly the door burst open.

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**A/N: **Cliffhanger! haha! sry i had to. i did continue originally, but i wanted to give you all an evil CH. and i won't post until i get some reviews saying who it might be. hehe i'm so evil! not really, but yea. Review please!


	22. Chapter 22

Well i only got one answer to the question at the end of chapter 21, but it's ok! ^^

**Madskill101: **haha you're funny. but no, it isn't the ex. good guess though

hope you guys enjoy

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Malika's P.O.V.

I turned my head to see the door come flying open and tons of Dai Li come pouring in. "You've got to be kidding me." I whispered.

Then following them came a man wearing green robes. His black hair was in a ponytail and he was also wearing a devious smile. "Long Feng." I heard Zuko mutter.

"That's Long Feng?" I asked. He nodded.

Long Feng turned to us. "Well ,well, what do we have here? Did I interrupt something?"

I rolled my eyes. "No, of course not. Why else would we let random people barge in?" I said sarcastically.

"We have a little smart mouth, do we?"

I lunged for him, but Zuko held me back. I pulled away from him. "Don't touch me. I haven't forgiven you."

"Oh, we interrupted at a really bad time. The Fire Lord and his girlfriend are in a fight."

I glared at Long Feng. "I'm not his girlfriend."

"Hm, oh well. That would've made things a lot more interesting. But it doesn't matter. Dai Li, arrest them." The Dai Li agents punched their fists in the air and suddenly my arms were behind my back. I tried moving my hands, but they were bound together by rock. The more I struggled the more my wrists began to hurt. "Well, what should we do with them?" Long Feng circled us two times before stopping in front of me. "Why don't we ask you? What should we do with the two of you?" Instead of answering I spit in his face. I smirked. He wiped his face off with his sleeve. "I see. The Crystal Catacombs it is."

"No!" We all looked at Zuko.

Long Feng stood in front of him. "Is something wrong with that, Fire Lord?"

Zuko glared at him. "I'm never going there again."

"I'm afraid you have no choice. Take them down." Long Feng walked away. Two Dai Li stood in front of us. They made movements with their hands and we found ourselves flipping over.

I never got a chance to yell before the ground met my back. I yelled in pain. Usually if I fell on my back that hard I wouldn't make as loud a sound, but because of the rock that was holding my hands together it didn't help as the ragged edges dug into my back. I turned on my side and kept trying to get my hands free. I looked around at my surroundings. The Catacombs. Zuko had mentioned something about this place…something that practically haunted him. _Katara._ I remember the story and the play about how they were imprisoned down here. No wonder he yelled at Long Feng when he suggested this place. The place was bright as green crystals lit up the place, but other than that it wasn't amusing. I watched as the two Dai Li agents took the rock cuffs off of Zuko, but they didn't take them off of me. Before I got to say anything they boosted themselves up and they earth bended through the ceiling. I felt hands on my arms and I was lifted up.

"Are you ok?"

"Do I look ok to you?"

"You don't have to get in an attitude, it was just a question."

"Yeah? Well I'm not ok. Is that a reasonable answer?" He sighed. "This is all your fault, you know?"

He turned to look at me. "My fault? How is this my fault?"

"If only you admitted that you were wrong we could've been out of the house and probably not sitting here in an ancient city."

"I did admit to that. If it's anyone's fault it's yours. You didn't have to come and see me because I know you didn't want to. If you hadn't done that we wouldn't be where we are now!"

I glared at him. "Sometimes I wish I never even met you." I walked as far away from him as I could, which ended up being on the other side of a rock wall. I sat there, crying. Finally I fell asleep.

Zuko's P.O.V.

_What did I just do? I'm supposed to make her like me again not make her hate me anymore. _I sighed and sat down. I leaned against the wall and closed my eyes. I opened my eyes when I heard something. I strained my ears to hear, but I couldn't tell what I was hearing. All I knew was that it was Malika. I bit my lip to resist the urge to go sit next to her and comfort her. I held up my finger and a small flame formed.

"Ah, crap."

The flame disappeared and I looked to the left where Malika had disappeared to. _I wonder what's wrong with her. _

Malika's P.O.V.

It was hard to keep my small cries of pain in. I needed to stop struggling to get out of the rock cuffs, but I couldn't help it. A while after struggling I felt something run down my hands. I turned my head as much as I could and looked at my hands. Blood was streaming down. The rocks were cutting my wrists and it stung terribly. "Ah, crap." I turned my head back around and closed my eyes. I didn't want to be in here much longer. _Hopefully everyone will be at the house by now and come looking for me…us…I don't know. _I opened my eyes and began to look around for anything that might be able to get my hands free. I heard rumbling and looked up. Dust and small rocks fell from the ceiling.

"Where's the girl?" I heard a voice say.

"Somewhere over there. I don't know." A few seconds of silence and two Dai Li agents appeared in front of me. One of them held me up while the other took off the cuffs. I sighed in relief.

"Here." The Dai Li agent dropped a plate of food on the ground and disappeared around the corner. I heard another plate drop and then more rumbling as the agents left. I looked down at the food. Even though it looked fine like every day food, I didn't want anything Long Feng provided me. He was obviously a sick, power-hungry man who didn't care about anyone but himself. I picked up the plate and walked around the corner to where Zuko was. He was eating his food and was obviously hungry. I walked over to him and set my plate next to him.

"Here, I don't want mine."

He was staring at my wrists. He grabbed my right arm. "What happened?"

"The cuffs. They cut into my wrists while I was struggling to get out of them."

He slowly let go of me. "Can you pull any water from the air so you can heal them?" I shook my head. I looked at him, but his head was turned as if he were looking at something. He stood up. "The tunnel is still there."

I raised an eyebrow. "What tunnel?"

"Just follow me." I followed him deeper into the Catacombs.

Aang's P.O.V.

I was happy to be back with all of my friends and they were happy I was back with them. I already became friends with Breana, Nekai and Raiku, Malika's friends. As all of us sat at a table in Iroh's tea shop, they told us stories about their adventures. I was interested in them when suddenly my stomach felt…empty. I couldn't exactly explain it. I didn't feel hungry or sick. It just felt empty as if…as if something were wrong. I felt a hand on my shoulder and looked into light brown eyes.

"Aang, are you ok? You look like you're about to pass out." Breana said as she squeezed my shoulder.

"Uh…I don't know. Something doesn't feel right."

"What do you mean?"

I looked out a window to see the sky beginning to darken. "Have any of you noticed that it's already pretty dark and neither Malika nor Zuko have come yet?" I turned back to look at everyone.

Iroh came to the table holding a tray of tea. "Is everything alright?" He asked.

I shook my head. "Malika and Zuko should've been here a long time ago and the sun is going down already."

"Well, I'm about to close up soon. We'll leave once that's done." I nodded. He was right, customers were piling out and he was only cleaning the kitchen as one of his employees was cleaning the tables. A few minutes later all of us walked out and headed towards the house.

The walk was silent, but short. When we opened the door, the house was dark. "Where are they?"

"I bet you they've made up and are making out in one of the rooms." Toph said.

"Can you feel them?" She shook her head.

"Maybe they're asleep." Katara said. "We should check the rooms."

We all nodded and split up. "Malika? Zuko?" I checked the rooms and we all found ourselves back in the living room. "I didn't find them."

"Neither did we." Sokka said.

"Maybe they did make up and went out to dinner." Katara said.

"Knowing Zuko being around Malika he probably did."

"But knowing Malika she wouldn't give in that easily." Breana said.

"Maybe we should wait and if they don't come back we'll start looking for them tomorrow." Everyone nodded.

Malika's P.O.V.

I kept following Zuko to Spirit's-know-where. We walked down a dark tunnel and finally I saw light. I blinked a few times and I stopped. We came to a huge space. Like the rest of the Catacombs there were many crystals, but there was also a water source. There was a giant water fall inside and then a river in box shape. "What is this place?"

"Old Ba Sing Se. It's also the same place I-"

"Betrayed Katara."

He sighed. "Yeah."

"Why'd you bring me here?"

He pointed to the water. "So you can heal your wrists."

I looked at him, but he didn't meet my gaze. "Thanks." We both made our way down and as soon as I jumped down I ran for the water. I got on my knees and stuck my hands in the cool water. The water around my wrists began to glow. I pulled my hands out the water to see the cuts gone, but the dry blood was still there. I put my hands back on the water and wiped off the blood. I stood up and looked at Zuko. He was looking away from me, looking around the Catacombs.

"Bad memories?" He looked at me and nodded. I walked over to him and took his right hand. I trailed my finger along the burn that was there.

"You do remember how this was formed, right?" A tear fell down my face and I nodded.

"It was supposed to represent us being together. Represent our love. Our unbreakable love."

"The only two who can break it is us."

I looked at him. "And I broke it…didn't I?" I looked at my right hand to see the similar burn.

"Malika…" I looked at him. "I'm sorry for everything." He said.

I shook my head. "No, I should apologize. I over exaggerated and then ran away from my troubles when I should've just faced them. And then I blamed you for us being down here and I blamed you for everything and most of those things were my fault and-" I was cut off when Zuko's lips made contact with mine.

He pulled away. "You talk too much." I smiled and put my forehead to his. We sat down. "You know what they're going to do with us next, don't you?" I shook my head. "They're going to take us to Lake Laogai."

"What's that?"

"A lake, but beneath it is a place where they…brainwash people."

I closed my eyes and shook my head. "Do you really think they'll do that to us?"

He hesitated before speaking. "Yeah, they would."

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**A/N: **O.O dun dun! Zuko's back in the Crystal Catacombs, but this time with the love of his life. do you think they'll get brainwashed or fight their way through? only i know ^^ hope you liked it. please review. bye


	23. Chapter 23

Enjoy! nuff said ^^

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Aang's P.O.V.

Later that night, I couldn't bring myself to fall asleep. Not only because of Sokka's obnoxious snoring but because I was worried. Zuko and Malika hadn't come back and there was no sign that they planned on returning.

"Aang?"

I turned to see Raiku. I sat up and rubbed my eyes. "Yeah? What is it?"

He hesitated before continuing. "Where do you think they are?"

I didn't have to ask who he was talking about. It was entirely too obvious and it only hurt me to think about the fact that we weren't even doing anything. "I don't have a clue." He looked away. "Malika and Zuko are tough. They can get through whatever is happening."

He scoffed. "I'm not worried about the Fire Lord. I'm worried about Malika. I know she's tough, but…" He faltered, letting his unfinished sentence hang in the air.

I narrowed my eyes in curiosity. "Is there…history, between the two of you?"

He smiled. "She used to be my girlfriend. I messed up on something…the thing is I don't know what it was."

"Well, we'll look for them tomorrow and we'll find them."

"Thanks, Aang." I guessed it was the end of the conversation so I lay back down and closed my eyes.

Zuko's P.O.V.

I woke up with my arm wrapped around Malika. I heard rumbling coming from above. I sat up and shook Malika. "Hm?"

"Malika, get up. They're coming."

"Mm-hm, five more minutes." She mumbled.

"Malika, wake up. Now!"

She growled then sat up. "What? What do you want?"

"They're coming."

We looked up to see Long Feng with six Dai Li agents behind him. "Are you two ready to go?"

I glared at him. "No. I rather stay here than go to Lake Laogai."

"Well, who knew the Fire Lord could be so smart as to figuring out our plan." My hands began to heat up. Malika steadily grabbed my hand, trying to calm me down. "Oh, it seems that she's your girlfriend after all. What such liars."

"We weren't lying the first time." She said between her teeth.

"Of course you weren't. Dai Li." The Dai Li jumped down next to us and put our hands back into the rock cuffs behind our backs.

"Come on! Seriously? I just healed my wrists, I don't need them to become bloody again." Malika said, allowing her anger and frustration to get the best of her.

"Cover her mouth while you're at it." Long Feng said. One of the Dai Li covered Malika's mouth with a rock glove. She growled and glared at Long Feng. If looks could kill, Long Feng would've dropped dead a long time ago. "Take them to Lake Laogai." Malika and I exchanged a quick glance and immediately understood each other. She kicked her leg high in the air and a wave of fire flew towards the Dai Li. They backed up a little. "She's a fire bender!" Long Feng shouted.

Malika sat down and brought her cuffed hands beneath her legs and in front of her. She faced the water and bended some out. She threw it at two of the Dai Li agents and froze their hands together. She turned and glared at a cowering Long Feng. "How can you bend two elements?"

Malika pointed to her covered mouth.

"Don't get smart with me."

She rolled her eyes. "Malika, run!" I yelled to her. She looked at me with worry in her eyes before she took off running.

"You three, after her!" Three Dai Li agents ran after her. Long Feng turned to me. "You foolish boy. Knock him out and take him to Lake Laogai. I'll help out with the girl. You, come with me." Before I could react, there was a hard hit on the back of my head and everything went black.

Malika's P.O.V.

I didn't know where I was running too, just away from the Dai Li. I felt bad for leaving Zuko, especially after everything we just went through, but I had to find a way to get out of here to save him. I ran as fast as I could, but the steps of the Dai Li only seemed to get closer. I ran and ran through the Catacombs and suddenly my feet got caught and I fell. I grunted since I couldn't yell. I turned over to see the three Dai Li agents hovering over me. One of them reached down to get me. I smirked beneath the rock that covered my mouth. When he was close enough I threw my arms around his neck and stood up. I turned and jumped around so when I landed I landed on his back with my knees. There was a sick cracking sound.

"Grab her!"

I lifted my arms from around the first guy's neck and I kicked up my legs toward the second one. A wave of fire flew toward him and he didn't protect himself fast enough. He yelled in pain and fell to the floor. I stood up as best as I could and just in time before the third one came towards me. I threw my hands up and hit him in the side of the head with the rock cuffs. He then fell with blood falling down his face. I looked at the three agents. I couldn't tell if they were dead or not, but even if they weren't it would give me time to find a way out of here. I sat down and turned to the wall. I lay on my back and took a deep breath. I threw my legs against the wall, trying to break the rock cuffs. After seven tiring hits they finally chipped off enough. I used my fingers to take off the rest of them.

I stood up and took a deep breath through my nose. There was only one way I could take off the rock from my mouth. I looked around and walked over to a crystal. I grabbed onto its tip and pulled as hard as I could and finally broke it off. I held the crystal tightly and prepared to break off the rock. I brought it to the rock covering my mouth and began to chisel it off. After a few minutes the rock came off and blood fell down my chin and neck. I closed my eyes and tried to ignore the pain. I dropped the crystal. I took a few deep breaths. I wiped off as much blood as I could. I snapped my head up when I heard something. _I'll work on my hands later. _I began to run again.

Aang's P.O.V.

I snapped my eyes open and sat up. I looked out the window to see the sun was already in the sky. I stood up and ran out of the room. Everyone was eating at the table. Katara looked at me with a concerned look. "What's wrong?"

"I have this bad feeling."

She stood up and walked over to me, setting a hand on my shoulder. "A bad feeling like what?"

I shook my head. "I don't know. Like…someone's in trouble. I have this…sharp pain in the back of my head."

She frowned. "Do you think it's possible to find someone else's energy? Like you did with Appa?"

"I don't know. Appa and I have a natural connection. I don't know if it'll work."

"Aang, you need to try. If Zuko and Malika are in trouble then we need to do whatever we can. Try to focus your energy and track them." I tightly shut my eyes and shook my head. "Try this."

I opened my eyes to see Iroh walking towards me with broad swords in his hands. He handed them to me. "Aren't these Zuko's?" I asked.

He nodded. "Maybe by touching something he's connected to you can focus on his energy." I held onto the swords and knelt down. I put my left hand on the floor and concentrated. An electric shock went through my body and I got a hold of his energy. I saw Zuko as he was being carried down beneath Lake Laogai, but I couldn't see Malika anywhere.

I stood up. "What did you see?" Katara asked.

"Zuko's in trouble. He's being taken to Lake Laogai."

Raiku stood up. "What about Malika?"

I shook my head. "I didn't see her. Is there anything I can use that belongs to her?" Everyone shook their heads. "Well, we need to rescue Zuko and maybe he can tell us where she is." They all nodded.

"Some of us should stay here, just in case." Iroh said.

I nodded. "Who's coming with me?"

"I am." Raiku said.

"So are we." Breana and Nekai stood up.

"I think Toph and I are also going." Katara said.

"Not to seem rude, but it's too many." Iroh said.

I looked at him. "What are you suggesting?"

"I think Nekai should stay, if he doesn't mind." We all looked at Nekai.

"Why do I have to stay?"

"Well, you can help us find clues to where Malika is."

Nekai looked around at us then agreed. "Ok, I'm fine with that."

I nodded and turned back to everyone else. "We need to leave now before we're too late."

Ursa stood up. "What happens if you're too late?"

I cautiously looked at her. "Zuko will be brainwashed."

Hurt flashed in her eyes. "Bring him back safely."

I nodded and the rest of us ran out of the house and to Appa. We quickly got on. "Yip, yip." Appa took off into the air.

Malika's P.O.V.

After what seemed like an hour I finally stopped running. I sat down and leaned against the wall to catch my breath. I heard rumbling and then an explosion. Long Feng and a Dai Li agent popped out from the wall. I stood up. "Come on, you people never give up, do you?" I started running again. I heard the Dai Li and I knew what was about to happen. I jumped up just in time before the cuffs trapped my legs. I stopped when I came to a dead end. I growled. "You've got to be kidding me." I whispered under my breath.

"Nowhere left to run."

I turned around and glared at Long Feng. "You're right, but I can still fight. You saw how I took down your agents that you sent after me. And I had these cuffs not only on my wrists, but my ankles and around my mouth. That's called skills, but you wouldn't know of skill, would you?"

"What do you know?"

"I know that you'd do anything for power. But no matter what it always slips through your fingers."

"Shut her up. Now!"

The agent punched a fist toward me, but I ducked before the rock clamped around my mouth. "What is that gonna do? I'm still a much better fighter."

He glared at me. "I'll be sure to erase every single memory from you. Get her." The agent threw multiple rock cuffs at me, but I kept dodging until one cut my arm. He threw another one and it cut my leg pretty deep. I fell on my side in pain. Long Feng hovered over me. "Knock her out and take her to Lake Laogai. I'll meet you there." Long Feng was then replaced by the Dai Li agent. He hit me on my head and everything went black.

Katara's P.O.V.

We had just landed and Toph was already bringing up the secret passage which was recovered from the last time we were here. Toph opened the passage and we climbed down the ladder and down into the dark tunnel. There were fewer lights so it was hard for me to see. "This place is still creepy." I said as I rubbed my arms.

"We won't be in here for long. Just grab Zuko and get out." Aang said.

"You and I already know it won't be that easy."

Toph stopped. "Go that way. I sense some people." She pointed to the right. We all turned right and came to a series of rooms.

"Can you sense Zuko?" I asked.

"Let go of me!"

Toph shrugged. "Don't have to, now." She pointed to the second door to the left. Aang grabbed the handle and barged in. We were in a small room with a ring in the middle and a candle attached. Four Dai Li agents were in there. One on the middle of the ring and the other three behind a chair in which Zuko was being held.

"Breana, get Zuko." I said. Breana ran in the room, dodging attacks from the agents. She brought her arm across and pushed one of the agent's head and then brought her leg back and tripped the agent. Aang used his air bending to blow one of the agents away and he hit the wall with a sickening thud. I stepped in and water whipped the one in the middle. I hit his head and then grabbed his leg. I pulled the water and he fell. Then Toph used earth bending to take them all below. Breana took off a few of the rock cuffs and Toph took off the rest.

Zuko stood up. "Thanks guys." He said.

"Where's Malika?" Breana asked.

"The last time I saw her I was telling her to run away. We were in the Catacombs." I inhaled deeply. The painful memories of the Crystal Catacombs came back.

"Then we need to go down there and hope she's still there."

"It's a shame we already have her." We turned around to see Long Feng. A Dai Li agent was behind him, holding Malika in his arms. She was unconscious. I turned around to see Zuko glaring at Long Feng.

"Just give her back Long Feng, and we'll leave Ba Sing Se." Zuko said.

"Oh, that won't do. I can't just let you leave. And besides, I'm sure there will be great use of her for a few more years." Zuko lunged for Long Feng, but Breana held him back. "Take the girl." The agent walked away with Malika.

"Hand her over." Zuko said through clenched teeth.

Long Feng only shook his head. "I hope you don't mind a little chase." Long Feng took off running.

"After him!" All of us ran after him.

Zuko's P.O.V.

We chased after Long Feng and he turned down a hall. The agent who had Malika went the opposite way. "You guys go after Long Feng." I said. Aang, Toph and Katara went after Long Feng and Raiku, Breana and I went after the guard. We ran down the hall as fast as we could and saw the guard run into a room. "Wait!" The two stopped.

"What? He's getting away." Raiku said.

I glared at him. "Look, I love Malika and I understand that you have feelings for her…but listen to me when I say that it's a trap. That room is most likely full of Dai Li and as soon as we walk in, we're done. We need to find a different way to get her."

"Just because you're the Fire Lord doesn't mean I need to follow your orders."

"I still have order over you seeing as you were originally a Fire Nation citizen."

Raiku came at me and grabbed me by my collar. He pushed me against the wall. "I don't take orders from anyone."

"Raiku." Breana said behind him.

"No, of course you don't take orders from anyone. Except for Malika. You'd take orders from her."

"Shut up. Just shut up!"

"Oh, I see. You and Malika had something, didn't you? Obviously she broke up with you because…well you're kind of demanding and try to get right to the point and…you're a jerk."

He pulled back his fist to punch me, but Breana grabbed his wrist. "Stop it. Both of you. This isn't helping Malika. We need to get her out of here and fast." She pulled Raiku away from me.

"I'll go my own way. If you want to go a longer way to save her, go on. I'm going straight in to get her." He turned to Breana. "If you wanna go with him then go ahead. I'm saving your best friend. Remember that." He walked away, going towards the door.

I looked at Breana and our eyes met. "I trust you. What should we do?"

I turned around. "Follow me."

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**A/N: **uh oh. what's gonna happen? its a mystery


	24. Chapter 24

Hey peoples. i meant to update yesterday but something came up so...yeah. here it is! enjoy

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Katara's P.O.V.

We were still chasing Long Feng, and I felt I couldn't run any longer. But I pushed myself to continue, for everyone's sake. Frustrated, I opened my pouch and pulled out water, lashing it out at Long Feng's head. He stopped when I hit him, turning around and glaring at me. "What are you going to do now? Kill me?"

"We won't have to kill you if you just hand over the throne." Aang said, stepping forward.

"Maybe we should kill him. That way he can't try to assassinate me if I become queen." Toph said.

"I think killing him will only make things worse."

"Not if I say so. Just kill him. The world has no use for him."

"Aang, she's right. As much as I hate it." I said.

Aang looked at me then back at Long Feng. "Go help get Malika back and I'll catch up with you."

Toph and I slowly turned away and walked down the hall. I turned around to see a bright glow. "Come on, we should hurry." Toph and I ran to meet up with everyone, a blood curdling scream echoing behind us.

Zuko's P.O.V.

I led Breana through halls without any trouble. "Over here." I stopped by a wall and looked up to see a large hole. "They lead throughout this whole place and I'm sure this one leads to the room where Malika was taken."

"This is a huge place. How can you be so sure?"

I looked at her. "You trust me, don't you?"

She hesitated then looked back at the hole. "How exactly do we get up there?"

I backed up to the other wall. Then I took off running. I jumped up and grabbed on to the edge. I pulled myself up and took a deep breath.

"That answers my question." Breana muttered.

I lay on my stomach and reached down. "Come on." Breana took my hand and I pulled her up. I stood up and continued to lead her down the small tunnel.

It was silent for a long time, before Breana spoke. "Raiku didn't mean what he said…about not taking orders from anyone."

"I'm sure he doesn't, except from Malika."

She smiled. "You're right about that. I'm sorry for his behavior. He's just mad because of what you did to Malika."

I turned around and looked at her. "What did she tell you?"

"You kept that secret from her."

I turned back around and continued to walk. "Even though my secret was important in our relationship…it was for an important reason I couldn't love her."

"What was that reason?"

I stopped and looked down. "I didn't want her getting hurt. My ex-girlfriend is very vindictive and…I couldn't risk her."

"So how'd you end up with her anyway?"

I smiled. "My ex finally learned to let me go. It was…shocking, knowing that she risked her life for me and then…just, so many things went on." I continued walking.

"I bet you want to know her secret."

I stopped again and turned around. "You know her secret?"

She nodded.

Malika's P.O.V.

I blinked my eyes, trying to adjust to the small lighting. My vision was swimming and my head was hurting. I didn't know where I was. As soon as my eyes adjusted I looked down. I was sitting in a chair, my hands and feet cuffed to it. I tried struggling to get out but it didn't work. I looked around the small room. There was a ring in the middle of the room, and that's all there was. The door opened and two men walked in. "Where am I?" I obviously couldn't remember anything. The last thing I remember I was on a boat heading to Ba Sing Se, but I can't remember anything after that. I looked back up to see one of the men standing in the middle of the ring. "Where am I? What am I doing here?"

"Calm down. You are safe." A light began to circle around on the ring.

"What are you doing? Will you answer my questions?" I glared at him.

"You are safe now. You are in Ba Sing Se. There are no worries within the walls."

"I never said there were any, you just aren't answering-" My eyes grew wide. I remembered. I _am_ in Ba Sing Se. I was in the Crystal Catacombs with Zuko. He said something about Lake Laogai.

"_They're going to take us to Lake Laogai." _

"_What's that?" _

"_A lake, but beneath it is a place where they…brainwash people." _

I looked at the man. "Where's Zuko?"

"You need to calm down. In Ba Sing Se, everyone is safe and do not worry. You mustn't worry."

"I'll worry when I want to!"

Zuko's P.O.V.

Before I got to say anything any further I heard a yell. I looked down the tunnel. "That sounded like Malika!" I said. I grabbed Breana's arm and began to run down the tunnel.

"Will you slow down?" Breana asked.

"She's in trouble. They probably started brainwashing her." Breana seemed to speed up when I mentioned brainwashing. Our feet splashed in the small puddles that were in the tunnel.

"Get me out of here! Zuko!"

I stopped. "Why are we stopping?" I put my finger to her lips. I stood still and listened carefully.

"Stop it!"

I turned left. "This way." I pulled Breana again. We ran down the tunnel but suddenly heard other footsteps behind us. "Hurry up." But instead Breana stopped and I looked at her. "We have to go."

"No, you have to go. Go get Malika. I'll hold off the Dai Li."

"I won't leave you to fend for yourself against them."

She grinned. "It's ok. Malika left me to fend for myself a year ago, I'm used to it. I did learn from the best, after all."

I shook my head. "I'm not going to leave you behind."

"You don't have much time left. They're probably brainwashing her right now. And about her secret…she killed her father." My eyes widened. "Now go, I told you all you need to know. I'll hold them off as long as I can." She gave me a shove and I took off running.

I thought about what she just told me about Malika's secret. I knew she's killed people before, but not intentionally. _So why would she kill her own father? And what about her brother? She said he died too. _I turned down another tunnel and ended up jumping down. I stumbled a little, but found my balance and continued. I saw a light in a room and I walked in. "Malika!" The two Dai Li turned around and looked at me. I looked at Malika who seemed to have passed out. I my hands tightened into fists and I glared at the Dai Li. "Big mistake." I muttered.

I kicked up and a wave of fire flew toward them. They blocked it with a wall of earth, but as soon as they put it down I punched my fists in the air and fire flew towards them again. They fell to the floor. I walked over to them and burned them, just to make sure they were dead. I gritted my teeth as I watched the bodies perish in fire, the smell of burning flesh wafted through the room. I looked at Malika, noticing that she wasn't moving. I ran over to her. "Malika. Malika, open your eyes." I grabbed her face and held it up.

"Zuko?" I turned around to see Katara and Toph standing there.

"Toph, can you take these off of her?" Toph walked over to the chair and took the rock cuffs off of Malika. I grabbed her and picked her up in my arms. "We have to go. Breana and Raiku are in trouble."

"What kind of trouble?" Katara asked.

"Breana stayed behind to save me some time to get Malika. She's in the pipes. And then Raiku wouldn't listen to me and he went into a room. I don't know which one, we went pretty far."

"You need to get Malika out of here. We'll find Raiku and Breana, but you need to get her to the house."

"I'm not leaving anyone else behind."

"Zuko, you need to. Malika could've been brainwashed for all we know. You need to get her out of here so you can find out for sure. We have nothing to worry about. Aang took care of Long Feng."

I searched her face as it turned grim. Before I said anything I heard a piercing scream. I looked up. "Breana!"

I looked at Katara. "You go. Toph and I will handle the Dai Li."

"If you guys aren't back in an hour I'm coming after you."

"Don't count on it. Now go." I held on to Malika and ran out of the room.

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**A/N:** i know it's short, but originally it was shorter. i was gonna stop it after Malika's POV so you guys could guess her secret, but i thought id be nice and get rid of the cliffhanger...this time. ^^ review please. hope you liked it. will be longer next chap, promise


	25. Chapter 25

Hi there. So this chapter is sorta long...sorta. hope you like it.

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Toph's P.O.V.

Katara and I ran out of the room. "So who's going after who?" I asked.

"You go find Raiku, I'll go look for Breana."

"Zuko said she was in the pipes. They're large, so be careful. It's like a maze, I can feel them. They're up there." I pointed up to where I could sense the tunnel. "Just be careful. They lead throughout this whole place so who knows where you can end up."

"Thanks, Toph."

"No problem, Sugar Queen." We ran our separate ways. I couldn't feel anyone near me so I was sure to be safe. I stopped when I thought I heard something. I turned around and got in a stance, but I couldn't sense anyone. I got out of my stance and turned back around. Suddenly I was knocked down. I heard someone groan next to me and I rolled my eyes. "Watch where you're going, Twinkle Toes."

"Sorry, Toph." I reached out my hand and he took it and helped me up. "Where's Katara?"

"She went to go help Breana. She's in trouble. Zuko left with Malika, we're worried that they might've brainwashed her. And then Zuko said that Raiku is also in trouble so that's where I'm headed."

"I want you to get out of here."

"What?"

"I want you to find Katara and Breana and get out of here. I'll get Raiku but you need to leave."

"Why?"

I could hear the hesitation in his voice. His heart was beating furiously. I wondered what was making him so nervous but I didn't get a chance to ask. "It's about time this place has ended. Now go!"

I nodded and turned back around and began to run. "Katara? Katara, where are you?" I heard screaming. I ran faster and ended up bumping into someone and falling down. "Again with the falling. I mean what is it with people?"

"Sorry, Toph."

"Breana?" I felt hands wrap around my arms and I was lifted up.

"Yeah."

"Where's Katara?"

"She's on her way. Where's Aang?"

"He went to go get Raiku, but he said that we have to go."

"You guys!" I felt the vibrations from Katara running towards us.

"We need to go. Aang said he's gonna destroy this place. He'll get Raiku, now let's go!" The three of us finally took off running and got out of there.

Aang's P.O.V.

As soon as Toph was out of my sight I took off running to look for Raiku. I knew Toph was worried and I didn't blame her. I was gonna destroy this place and I might not even make it out in time before it collapses on top of me. I heard rumbling and I stopped. I closed my eyes and focused on the vibrations to detect where they were coming from. I snapped my eyes open and turned right. I ran to the door straight ahead and knocked it down. Raiku was facing dozens of Dai Li. I narrowed my eyes. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I felt power surge through me as I opened my eyes and I felt the power of all of my past lives. I brought my hands up and concentrated on the ground. I quickly brought my arms down and the ground collapsed. All of the Dai Li agents fell, leaving Raiku standing in the middle.

"We need to get out of here. I'm going to destroy this place."

"What are you going to do?"

"Flood it. It's the only way. You need to get out of here quickly. Start running. Find a way out."

"What about you?"

I smiled. "I'm the Avatar. I think I can make it." He smiled at me then took off running. I looked up at the ceiling. "I'll give you twenty seconds before I begin to flood this place, Raiku." I whispered. I sat down and close my eyes.

_One…two…three…four…five…hopefully I'll make it out of here…six…seven…eight…nine…ten…I just want to be happy with my friends and be able to live a happy life…eleven…twelve…thirteen…fourteen…fifteen…if I don't make it I won't be able to see any of my friends faces, especially Toph's…sixteen…I'll miss her too much…seventeen…I won't be able to hug her anymore…eighteen…we can't live without each other, that much I can say…nineteen…there's another thing I can say…twenty…she'd release an incredible power because of the devastation and I loved her too much to let that happen. _

I opened my eyes when I felt enough power surging through me. I stood up and lifted my arms toward the ceiling. I formed my hands into fists, and in one quick motion pulled my arms back then punched my fists in the air. Then I brought my arms down to the ground and it cracked. The crack moved through the floor, up the walls and to the ceiling. Then the ceiling came crashing down. Tons of water filled the room and I ran as fast as I could.

Zuko's P.O.V.

When I got to the house, Nekai was there. He quickly stood up from his seat. "What happened?"

I shook my head. "I don't exactly know, but you have to help me." He nodded. I walked upstairs and into one of the rooms. I laid Malika on the bed. I put my hand on her shoulder and began to shake her. "Malika? Malika, you need to wake up. Malika?"

Her eyes began to slowly open. She blinked multiple times and her gaze landed on me. She looked confused and shut her eyes again, turning her head to the side. "Where am I?"

My heart felt like it was slowly breaking. It was probably too late. I probably lost her. "Do you know what your name is?"

She looked at me. "Malika. Wh-who are you guys?"

I looked away and stood up. "No one important right now."

"Are you sure? You're hiding something." I looked at her. She was grinning.

"Can you tell me what I'm hiding?"

She narrowed her eyes and shook her head. "You're a mystery to me. But both of you…there's something about you. But I can't seem to grasp it."

I smiled. "That's good enough. I'll be back. Try to help her in any way."

"What are you helping me with?"

But I ignored her and walked out. I had lost her…but not all of her. The old her is in there somewhere. The one that remembers me. I walked out of the house just in time to see Katara, Breana and Toph running towards the house. The three stopped in front of me.

"How is she?" Breana asked. She had scratches on her face and her arms were bloody. Her legs were also scraped but by the way she looked, so neutral yet concerned, she was ignoring the pain.

"She doesn't know who we are or where she is. But she obviously wasn't completely washed. She finds me familiar and…she knows me."

"But that's great. Which means jogging her memory won't be as hard."

"Hopefully. I told Nekai to do whatever he can, but maybe you can trigger something, Breana."

At that she ran into the house. "Have you tried kissing her, Sparky?" Toph asked as she walked in the house.

I looked at Katara. "Do you think that'll work?"

She shrugged. "She's your girlfriend again, it wouldn't hurt."

"But she doesn't know who I am."

"Doesn't hurt to try. It might make her remember." Katara walked in the house.

"Hey, where's Aang?"

Katara's P.O.V.

I stopped when Zuko asked me where Aang was. I turned and looked at him. "I don't know. Toph told me he was gonna destroy that place. I don't know if he's still there or not." He nodded. I walked upstairs and into the room where everyone else was.

Malika was sitting on the bed with Breana sitting next to her. "You don't remember me at all?" She asked.

Malika tilted her head, making her long, dark hair fall over her shoulder. "I'm trying to, honestly. If what you guys are saying is true, about me being brainwashed or whatever, then I'll try to remember. Other than that…I don't know who you guys are."

"Malika, you have to remember something."

I looked at the floor and thought. Then I looked up at her. "Remember your family. Remember how hard your childhood was."

Malika looked at me confused. "My childhood?" Then she got this weird look on her face.

Malika' P.O.V.

When the girl around my age told me to think about my childhood a memory flashed in front of my eyes, but as quickly as it came it was gone. I shut my eyes, trying to get rid of the sharp pain in my head. "I…I don't know. I-I can't remember."

"Malika, you need to try. This is important. You need to remember."

I looked at all the faces that were in the room. They seemed hurt. I nodded and closed my eye. I snapped my eyes open at a memory. _My mother took me back to the Fire Nation from the South Pole and…I was crying. I was sad. I never wanted to leave. _The memory was gone. My head began to spin. I ignored the dizzy feeling and focused on my memories. _I ran away at the age of ten. I was living on the streets for five years. And then… _I gasped and shut my eyes again. "I can't! I can't, I'm sorry." I held my head in my hands. It hurt to remember. As much as I tried. The pain only seemed to increase. These people know me and if they say I know them then I have to remember. But how? How could I remember.

"It might take awhile before she remembers. We have to take it easy." The blue eyed girl said.

"But how much longer? This can't continue. We can't have her walking around not knowing anything." The girl with light brown eyes and medium length black hair said.

"We don't have a choice. We don't know when she'll recover."

The other girl sighed. "She left us again…"

My eyes snapped wide open as a memory came rushing back. _I lived on the streets with a group of kids. We'd run around the city all day searching for food. Relying on each other. My friends. Nekai. Breana. Raiku. I remember them! _I opened my eyes and looked at the two. I smiled. "Breana?"

Breana stared at me, confusion plastered on her face. Then she threw her arms around my neck. "You remember."

I pulled away. "Kind of. What happened after that? I can only remember you and Nekai. Who else was there? What else was there?"

"There's not too much we can say. You were out of our lives for years later."

I furrowed my eyebrows as I tried to remember. I looked up as a boy with black hair and golden eyes walked in. The same one that woke me up. That's when I noticed the scar on the left side of his face. I felt sorry for him.

"Has she figured it out yet?" He asked.

The girl with brown hair and blue eyes looked at him. "She's slowly remembering, but she hasn't remembered us yet."

Breana stood up and stood next to Nekai. "No, but she remembers _us_. Worst case scenario, we'll bring her with us and start all over."

The boy stepped forward, fists and jaw clenched. "You can't do that. You can't just take her and expect her to remember year by year. She has to remember us, too!"

The girl with blue eyes put a hand on his shoulder. "Zuko, calm down."

"Come on, Katara. Do you even hear her? She's trying to take-"

"She's not trying to do anything."

"I told you, Sparky, you should kiss her." A little girl with black hair said, leaning against the door frame.

"What?" I yelled. Everyone looked at me.

"Why are you yelling?" Nekai asked.

"Because, she's telling him that he should kiss me. I don't even know him!" My breathing began to pick up as I began panicking. I looked at Breana.

"You don't remember him?"

"Should I?"

"Well, yeah, you really should. He's your boyfriend."

I sat there, mouth agape at what she said. "Boyfriend? What?"

"I have an idea." I looked at the boy. The one Breana claimed to be my boyfriend. I didn't believe it, not for one second. He put his hand in his pocket then pulled it back out. He walked over to me. "Hold your hand out."

"Why?"

"Just hold it out." I slowly held out my hand. He put his hand in my and I felt something. He closed my fist. I searched his face. I opened my hand and looked at what he put there.

"Of course. That should hopefully trigger something." The blue eyed girl said.

I held the necklace in front of my face. It was carved to look like Yin and Yang. "This is…beautiful. But how is this supposed to help me with my memories? Was it something from my past?"

"It's a betrothal necklace. It was made for you."

I looked at everyone. "Who proposed to me?"

The boy with the scar walked forward again. "I did. I carved that for you. We were supposed to have gotten married here in Ba Sing Se."

I shook my head. "You guys are leaving out a lot. Too much for that fact."

"I don't know what else to do."

"You need to kiss her! It's the only way, Sparky."

I looked at everyone. _They are seriously expecting me to kiss him? A guy I don't even know? I don't care if they say he's my boyfriend. I'm not kissing him! But…he seems so familiar. I need to know more. Even if it means I have to kiss him. I wonder what it'll be like. He was cute, I'll admit. But he's features aren't what caught my attention. I couldn't put my finger on it, but something inside of him was what made me so curious. _

"Malika?"

I looked at Breana. "Yes?"

"Are you willing to try it? Kiss him, I mean. To try and jog your memory?"

I looked at the boy. I pressed my lips together. "Fine, I'll give it a try. But I want everyone else out of here. I can't be serious with a whole bunch of people watching."

"I can't even see. I'm blind." The younger girl complained, but I ignored her. They all piled out and closed the door behind them. I looked at the boy, but he didn't meet my gaze.

"Well, are we just gonna sit here in silence or are we gonna try to help me?" I asked.

He looked at me and smirked. "Still remember the attitude, at least. That's good."

I couldn't help but to smile. He sat down on the edge of the bed and looked at me. I was mesmerized by his eyes. "Well?" I said.

"Let's hope this works." He whispered.

He leaned in closer and so did I. We stopped a few centimeters away from each other. I could feel his breath. It was unsteady. He was obviously nervous. Our lips brushed against each other, but he still hesitated. I closed the gap between us, just to get it over with. I tightly closed my eyes and more than one memory flashed before my eyes. My head began to hurt, but I never pulled away. It was strangely working. I felt his hand on my cheek and the memories began to slow down. I could see the scenes.

_Ember Island. Running away. Danger. Zuko. Katara. Toph. Sokka. Suki. Aang. My new friends. The bonding. The connections. The play. True Love. The Order of the White Lotus. Iroh. The comet. Fighting. Azula. The scar. The fights. The love. The friendship. The drama. Mai. The shuriken. The coronation. The party. The garden. The proposal. The confusion. The hurt. The pain. Decisions. Giving it up. Trying to make things right. Running away. Going back home. The arranged marriage. Finding my rightful place. True Love. The palace. The sickness. Near death. The spirit water. True Love. The argument. The boat. Trip to Ba Sing Se. Secret room. Letters. Missing mother. The room. A giant lion-turtle. Poison. Murder. True Love. Secrets. Disappointing secrets. Calling off the wedding. Jumping off the boat. Senlai. Yada. Nekai. Breana. Sen-Rai. Ursa. Stealing. Ba Sing Se. Reuniting. Talking. Long Feng. Dai Li. Captured. Crystal Catacombs. Anger. Hate. Healing. True Love. Running. Fighting. Knocked out. Lake Laogai. Brainwashed._

I pulled away. I felt like I couldn't breathe. My hand flew to my chest as I was heavily breathing. My lungs burned with the sudden intake of air. "Malika? Hey, look at me. What happened? Are you ok?"

I looked at Zuko. _Zuko. I remember. My true love._ "Yeah, I'm fine. I just…I saw it. Everything. I remember…everything."

He smiled. "You do? What exactly do you remember?"

"Just…everything. Too much to explain." He smiled again and pulled me into a warm hug. I took a deep breath, taking in his scent. I dug my face into the crook of his neck. He pulled away from me, his smile gone. "What's wrong?" I asked.

"Malika…what _really_ happened to your dad?"

"What?" I looked at him. My heart began to race as I started panicking.

"Why'd you kill him?"

I looked away. "How'd you find out?"

"Breana told me."

I closed my eyes, my hand still on my chest as my breathing was slowly calming down. "You weren't supposed to find out."

"Why'd you kill him?"

I turned away. "It's not like I wanted to kill him. I had no intention of killing him. He was my father. I loved him."

"Then why?"

I pressed my lips together and looked at my hands. "It was my mom's fault. When she came to get me, my dad got furious. He didn't want her to take me away. He grabbed her and yelled at her. I got scared. So scared that…I fire bended at him. I closed my eyes as I heard a loud yell and he fell to the ground. And then my brother tried to stop me. He tried to stop her. But my mom…" I choked on my words and a tear fell down my face.

"She killed him. Tried to stop him from telling everyone about what she was doing and…she fired." He said.

I nodded. "So that's my big secret. I murdered my own father."

"But you didn't mean to."

I looked at him. "But I still killed him. And I did it and I'm so ashamed of what I did."

"It was your mother's fault. She didn't need to take you to the Fire Nation."

"But if I hadn't tried to protect her I wouldn't have killed my father. Admit it, Zuko. It was all my fault."

He took my hand and squeezed it. "You need to learn how to not blame yourself." I looked at him with burning eyes and a tear stained face. "Come here." He wrapped his arms around me.

I laid my head on his shoulder. "How can you be so calm about this?" I whispered.

"Because I know how hurt you were when you figured out my secret and I never should've kept it. But now that I know yours…all I can do is comfort you and try to make everything better."

I pulled away. "But you can't make anything better. It's too late to fix anything and…I can't apologize for the things I've done."

"I know that. But now that we're here…we can fix things and make them right again." He put his hand on my face. I smiled and leaned in. I kissed him.

"Malika!" The door burst open and Raiku came in. I pulled away from Zuko. Raiku stood there, but he looked away.

I stood up. "Hey."

He looked at me. "You don't look to good right now."

"Maybe because I just got my memory back after having it erased."

"Yeah? I wonder how you got it back." He gave Zuko a look.

"Ok, look. This has to end. You need to learn to control yourself."

"I have controlled myself."

"Obviously you haven't. I know you're jealous and that needs to stop."

Raiku walked closer. "Jealous? What do you know?"

"Just back away from her and don't let your ego get to your head. Thinking you're all tough." Zuko said.

"Stay out of this."

I turned to Zuko. "You need to stop encouraging him to be like this."

"What am I doing?" He asked.

"I know you, Zuko. You'd do anything to hit people's nerves and that's what you're doing with Raiku."

"Like you've never done that before."

I froze and turned to Raiku. "What?"

"You heard me. You do exactly that. You find out about people and use it against them. Maybe you guys are a perfect match."

I narrowed my eyes and looked at Zuko. "Can you give us a minute?"

Zuko gave me an unsure look, but walked out and closed the door behind him. I looked back at Raiku. "I appreciate that last comment, but you're not seeing the big picture here. You were always like this and you wonder why I broke up with you. You're controlling. You try to make everything your way. You never gave me a chance to be me."

"That's not true."

"No! That is true and you know it. You tried to convince yourself that you loved me, but you and I both know that you never did. You don't know what to do with yourself. You don't know what to do with other people around you. Why don't you just try to stop and just…let nature take its own course without you interfering?" He yelled and grabbed for me.

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**A/N: **well what did u think? was it ok? good? great? let me know ^^


	26. Chapter 26

a bit of a short chapter, sorry. hope you like it.

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Zuko's P.O.V.

I sat in the living room with everyone else. I was anxious to go back into the room to see what was going on, but it wouldn't do any good. The front door opened and Iroh, Sokka, Suki and my mother came in. I stood up as my mother walked over to me. She threw her arms around me. "I'm glad you're ok." I pulled away. "How's Malika?" She asked.

"She had her brain washed, but we got her memory back. She's…talking to Raiku right now."

"Well, as long as she's ok."

I smiled. "I guess." I turned around towards the stairs. "I just hope she can keep calm while up there."

Malika's P.O.V.

Raiku grabbed my arm. "You don't have a single right to talk about me that way."

"Oh, I don't? Hm, I guess that's why you were left out of your family. They didn't love you. They never wanted you. They let you go out on the streets without caring. All of their attention went to your little sister. She loved you, but she also loved the attention so they forgot about you."

His grip tightened on my arm. "Shut up, ok? Just shut up. You know nothing about me."

"I know everything about you."

"No you don't," his hatred filled eyes turned taunting as the corner of his lip turned up. "but I know about you."

I narrowed my eyes and clenched my jaw. "Don't…even go there." I said through gritted teeth.

"Your mother was trying to do the best for you, but you knew she wasn't. She made your life miserable. You ran away because you thought you didn't love her. You thought that if you ran away everything would be better."

"Everything was better without her and I know I don't love her. You know what she did to my life."

"Yes, I do know. She was only trying to show you how much she loves you."

I grabbed his right hand and took it off of my arm. I stood behind him and brought my leg back so he tripped and fell on his back. "You know _nothing_ about my history with my mother." I walked toward the door, but Raiku grabbed my leg and made me fall. He turned me over on my back and held my arms above my head. "Get off of me."

"Will you ever forgive her?"

"What?"

"Will you ever forgive your mother?"

I stopped struggling for a brief second as I looked in his eyes. I turned my gaze away and tried to get him off of me, but got nowhere. "No, of course not. Why should I?"

He ignored my question. "I forgave my mother. I know why I was left out of my family. My little sister was only four years old and she needed all of the attention she could get so she wouldn't end up like me. A temper-mental kid who can't bother to find a way around his problems. We all solve our problems differently. You solve yours with either violence or avoidance. Or at least try to solve your problems."

"Will you please get off of me?"

"You won't drop this will you?"

I scoffed. "You know me."

His grip tightened around my arms. "Can we just drop the subject and we can forget this happened? I don't want to hurt you."

"Get off of me already!" I moved my arms from his grip and pushed him off of me. I stood up and so did he. I grabbed for the door, but Raiku grabbed my arm and pushed me against the wall. He held my arms over my head again. It's always the best thing to do when holding down a water bender. It makes it harder for them to water bend at you since water bending is all in the wrist. I could fire bend at him, but it would be an indirect hit. I was helpless. "Let go of me. This won't solve anything."

"I'm not letting you go until you promise to never bring this up again. This stays between us."

I stared in his eyes. "You nearly fought me just to make sure I don't tell anyone?"

He leaned in closer so our faces were at least an inch away. I felt uncomfortable with him this close to me. The last time he was this close to me was about a year ago and I wasn't used to it. My heart rate picked up as did my breathing. I couldn't calm myself down with him being this close. He leaned in close to my ear. I shuddered, unable to prevent myself from doing so. "I know you. You would probably tell someone."

I shook my head. "I won't." I whispered. He pulled back to look at me. His forehead touched mine. I know he was tempted to kiss me, but if he did he'd most likely be killed by Zuko. I searched his eyes. I saw hurt and confusion.

"Do you promise?"

I nodded. "I promise. This stays between us." Our gazes met each other and a feeling ran through me. A feeling I haven't felt around him in a long time. I most likely had the same temptation he had to kiss me, but I knew I couldn't I couldn't kiss him. Thankfully, just as I was about to close the gap between us, the door opened. We looked towards the door to see Zuko standing there. Raiku let go of me and backed away. I dropped my arms.

"What's going on here?"

I shook my head and looked away. "Nothing, we were just finishing up." Raiku said as he walked out of the room.

I looked at Zuko. "Are you going to tell me what happened?"

"Nothing happened, I swear."

"Then why was he holding you against the wall?" I saw his fists clench and anger pass in his eyes. "No reason, Zuko. Swear. You don't need to know. Just…forget what you saw."

"Should I forget what I saw? Because I think seeing my girlfriend being held against the wall by her ex-boyfriend is something that I shouldn't just drop."

I rolled my eyes and looked out the window. Night had fallen. I looked at Zuko. "Did Aang ever come back?" I asked. His eyes widened. We both ran out of the room.

Zuko's P.O.V.

I had forgotten about Aang, but when Malika brought him up I began to panic. We ran into the living room where everyone was. Katara stood up. "What's wrong?"

"Why hasn't Aang come back?" Katara's eyes grew wide. We all ran outside into the night. We looked around, but didn't see Aang running towards us.

I saw Malika run towards Appa. She got on his head and grabbed the reigns. "Are you guys coming or not?"

Toph, Katara, Sokka, Suki and I all got on. "Yip, Yip!" I said. Appa then took off into the night sky and towards Lake Laogai. I moved onto Appa's head and next to Malika.

She didn't meet my gaze. "If you're going to ask me more questions about what happened between Raiku and I, I'll only give you the same answers."

"I wasn't going to ask any more questions."

"Of course you weren't." She put her hand in her pocket and pulled out the necklace. "So," She looked at me. "what am I gonna do with this?" She asked.

"It's your decision."

She sighed and put it back in her pocket. "After all we've been through so far, here in Ba Sing Se…I'm still deciding."

I nodded and looked away. I looked down as we were passing over Lake Laogai. "Does the lake look…drained?" I asked.

Everyone looked down. "It must've been Aang. He said he was gonna flood the place so…Lake Laogai seems smaller." Katara said.

"At least it will be until it rains." Sokka said. Appa landed. We all got off of him.

"It's way smaller if you ask me." Toph said.

"How small?"

"I can't feel the headquarters anymore. It's completely flooded, but now I can see farther away now that the lake has been drained. It's much more shallow."

I looked around. "I don't see Aang anywhere." I said.

Sokka stepped forward. "We should split up. Toph, you go with Zuko and look around the shore. Katara, you and Malika can look out on the lake. Suki and I will go the opposite way." We all nodded. I went with Toph to the left, Malika and Katara created an ice platform that they got on and went out on the lake and Suki and Sokka went the other way.

Malika's P.O.V.

Katara and I used our bending so we could look out on the lake. Toph was right, it was really shallow. Just standing on the shore you could tell when you felt the cold, damp earth beneath your feet. "Katara, down there!" We stopped bending and looked down in the water. There was a giant hole. "It must be where Aang flooded the place. He broke the ceiling, or in this case the bottom of the lake, and the water poured in."

"That's why it's super shallow and why we can see so clearly down there."

I looked at her. "Should we check the place out?" She nodded. I jumped off of the platform we made and stood in the water. It was just past my waist. Katara jumped down too, unfreezing the platform as she did so. We stared down into the hole. We both bended water around our heads so we could breath when down there, and then we jumped in.

We swam down deeper and deeper and finally came to the underwater headquarters. Chunks of rock were scattered all over the place and some bodies of the Dai Li agents were floating around as well. We swam out of the huge room and into the hall.

"This place is even creepier underwater." I said.

"Where do you think Aang could be?" Katara asked. I stopped swimming. "What is it?"

I shook my head. "This place is too big. We need to split up. It's the only way." She nodded. I pointed down a different hall. "You go that way. I'll go this way." I swam the way we were going and Katara went the way I told her to go. "Aang!" I yelled out. I knew my voice would be muffled because of the water that surrounded me, but it was worth a try. I swam into a large room and looked around. I didn't see him anywhere. "Aang!" I swam out of the room and continued. I stopped when I came to different paths.

"Huh?" I turned around to see something on the floor. I swam towards it and picked it up. I brushed off the mud that was caked on and I admired it. It was a blue and white Oni mask. "What's something like this doing down here?" It had a weird type of smile with canine teeth sticking out on each side. My finger traced it all around. It was strangely familiar. I snapped my head up when I remembered what I was supposed to be doing. I held on to the mask and continued to swim.

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**A/N: **That last paragraph is pretty obvious, huh? ^^ oh well. wasn't going for clueless or anything. review please


	27. Chapter 27

Sorry. i know it's been a long time, but i've had sports these past few weeks and have been too tired to post. not to mention school will be starting in a few weeks and i have summer wrk that needs to be finished :P

anyway to **KorraAvanasidoch **(responding to some of your comments if not all):

She runs away a lot because she's practically been on her own for about eleven or twelve years. running away comes naturally to her, it's an instinct; i appreciate your support and encouragement to have me continuing writing; your link didn't come through. i would really like to see your ideal dress for Malika; double wedding? O.O hmmm...i'll keep that in mind. ^^; I do like toph and teo, but i think i'll stick with taang ^^' sry for kataang.

Ok then. on with the story!

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Katara's P.O.V.

I began to feel dizzy as I continued to swim deeper. I hadn't found any signs of Aang anywhere, and I was beginning to worry. "Aang? Where could you be?" I swam by more lifeless bodies and a shiver ran down my spine. I looked up to see a hole. _Could Aang have escaped through there? _I swam up towards it and it was big enough for me to squeeze through. I swam up and only found myself outside. I looked around to see any signs of Aang, but none. I pushed myself up so I was sitting down. The water came up to my chin, but I didn't care. I looked around and couldn't see anyone. Malika was still looking down below and everyone else was looking on the shore. I sighed.

"Katara!" I turned around to see Sokka waving to me from the shore. "We found him!"

I smiled. _Thank the spirits._ "I need to go get Malika!" I yelled back.

"Ok! Just hurry!" I turned back around and slipped through the hole.

Malika's P.O.V.

I was getting tired of swimming, so I stopped for awhile. I looked at the Oni mask that I held in my hand. All I know is that it must've been pulled down here when this place flooded. Someone must've thrown it away. It was surprisingly beautiful. I still couldn't figure out why it was so familiar.

"Malika."

I turned around to see Katara swimming towards me. I hid the mask. "Did you find him?" I asked.

"Sokka did. We need to get out of here." I nodded. "I found another way out, we can go through there."

I followed Katara as we swam to only-she-knows-where. Then she swam up and I saw her swimming towards a hole. She swam through. I just stared up, my eyebrow raised. "You don't really expect me to fit through that, do you?" Then she reached down, grabbed my arm and pulled me up. "Hey!" I swam through the hole and when I got above the water, my bubble popped. I took in the night air and pushed myself up. I scraped my leg getting up, but it wasn't too bad. I stood up and we walked towards the shore. Then I felt the mask fall into the water.

"Hey, what's that?" Katara asked.

"No, don't."

But she had already picked it up. She looked at me with sorrow-filled eyes. "Where'd you get this?"

I snatched it back from her. "I found it while we were down there. Why?" She only shook her head and we continued to walk to shore. Sokka, Suki, Toph and Zuko were there with Aang lying down in front of them. We got to shore.

"Is he ok?" Katara asked. She knelt down next to him and tried shaking him. "Aang? Wake up."

"We already tried that." Sokka said.

Katara moved her hand over his body and pulled. Then water came streaming out of his mouth. He coughed and sat up. He put his hand on his head. "Huh? What happened?"

Katara hugged him. "You're ok. That's all that matters right now."

I turned around and faced the lake. I pulled out the mask and looked at it. The wind picked up, blowing my hair all around me. As I continued to stare at the mask, my head began t hurt. I shut my eyes, hoping it would go away, but it only seemed to get worse. "Malika?" I snapped my eyes open and turned around to see Zuko walking towards me. "What is that?" He pointed to my hand.

"Nothing. It's nothing."

"Can I see it?"

I hide it behind my back, slowly backing away. "Zuko, I just found it. It's nothing." Before I could do anything else he grabbed my waist and snatched it out of my hand. He stared at it. His eyes went wide and it let go of me. "Where did you get this?" Everything seemed to have gone quiet. Tension clearly filled the air. Not even the wind dared to make a sound.

"I found it."

He looked at me. "At the bottom of the lake?"

I nodded.

"Do you have any idea whose this is?"

I shook my head. "I told you. I only found it. I picked it up because I didn't know what it was. Do you know who it belongs to?" But he only turned and walked towards Appa.

I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned around to see Aang. "That mask that you found…it belongs to Zuko." I looked back towards Zuko to see him leaning against Appa and staring at the mask.

* * *

We rode back on Appa to the house in silence. Aang and Toph sat next to each other with her head on his shoulder. She had closed her eyes and Aang was smiling. Zuko was still staring at his mask and mumbling something beneath his breath. I tried to make out what he was saying, but I couldn't make out a single word. We finally landed in front of the house. I was just about to jump down when I noticed Zuko wasn't moving.

"Malika, are you coming?" Aang asked.

I didn't take my eyes off of Zuko. "I'll be there in a little while." Silence then filled the night air. I moved over to Zuko and sat in front of him. He didn't seem to notice me. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" He still didn't look at me.

"I didn't know that it belonged to you."

"It's ok. My Uncle didn't want me wearing it anymore, anyway. That's why you found it down there."

"Why didn't he want you wearing it anymore?"

He shrugged. "He just…he said that I should let it go. So I did. Lake Laogai was the last place I wore it. I saved Appa."

I took the mask out of his hands and set it aside. Even though our gazes met, his gaze seemed distant. I held his hands. "You did the right thing. We can't always stay attached to things or we get distracted and forget what's happening in the real world. Maybe Iroh was afraid you'd become too attached to it." He nodded and looked away. "Hey, look at me." I put my hand under his chin and brought his gaze back to mine.

He searched my face. His gold eyes finally met my blue ones. His held so much sorrow and regret. I moved in closer until I could lay my head on his chest. His arms wrapped around me and we sat there in complete silence. I buried my face in the crook of his neck and closed my eyes. I cringed when my head started to hurt again and I felt a piercing pain in my chest. Zuko's arms tightened around me. I didn't know what was going on. I felt strange. Sick, maybe? It was possible I was still recovering from having my memories wiped from my mind and having the sudden outburst of them all rushing back to me.

I tried not to think about that. I had Zuko again. He would be there for me, always. And he'd never let me go. Right? I opened my eyes sat up a bit so I could look at him. He leaned in closer and his lips met mine. My hand moved up to the side of his face. My finger traced down his neck and to his shoulder. I turned the kiss more passionate and he deepened it. "Are you guys really gonna do that in Appa's saddle?" I opened my eyes and slightly pushed Zuko away from me. I felt my face grow warm from the embarrassment of being caught. It was nearly the same feeling I used to get when I was younger, stealing food and someone who was kind and sweet caught me stealing from them. They made me feel embarrassed, just as Aang did now when he interrupted us. We looked up to see Aang looking at us.

"Are you really gonna interrupt us like that?" I asked as I raised any eyebrow, all feelings of embarrassment leaving me.

"Sorry, but…Appa has to sleep, too, and I don't think he wants you guys kissing while trying to go to sleep. You can at least go inside and get a room or something. We can stay out of your way."

"But Toph won't."

Aang looked down in thought. "You're probably right. Well, I don't know what to do, but if I were Appa I'd be disturbed."

"Fine, we'll get out of the saddle and go somewhere else. Thank you, All Mighty Avatar." Aang smiled and jumped down.

"Interrupted yet again. Have you been counting?" Zuko asked.

I closed my eyes. "I've lost count; we've been interrupted so many times." We laughed. Zuko grabbed my hand. "Come on, Aang is right. We need to go somewhere else."

I stretched. "You're probably right. I'm tired anyway. It's been a long day." I stood up and jumped off of Appa's saddle. Zuko jumped down next to me with his mask in his hand. He patted Appa before we walked inside holding hands. The living room was practically cleared out except for Aang, Iroh, Sokka and Toph.

"Zuko, we must talk." Iroh said.

Zuko and I looked at each other. He handed me his mask. "Take this for me." I nodded. I took the mask from him and walked upstairs.

Zuko's P.O.V.

I watched Malika walk upstairs. When I was sure she was out of earshot I looked at everyone. "What is it?"

"It's about the throne. Long Feng is gone now and so are his Dai Li. This is the perfect chance to give the throne to Toph."

"Have you discussed this with the generals?"

"We wouldn't discuss it with them without you. We need the Fire Lord's support if not anyone else's besides the Avatar." Sokka said.

I nodded and sat down. "You're right. Then we need to talk to them tomorrow. The sooner the better. That way the Earth Kingdom can feel more trust towards the Fire Nation."

"They still don't trust you? Even after everything you've done?" Aang asked.

"I doubt it. After everything Ozai has done they're most likely growing on us, but it's a slow process."

"But after most Earth Kingdom citizens came to your coronation…"

"It wasn't enough for the entire nation to trust me. I'm Ozai's son, they expect him and my grandfather and…great-grandfather. If only they knew…" I thought back to what Uncle Iroh told me. About Roku being my great-grandfather.

"If only they knew what?"

I snapped out of my thoughts and looked up at Aang. I shook my head and looked back down. "Nothing. Just…if only they knew who I really am. As well as you guys know me, you know? I know they think of me as my father."

"You have to stop thinking that way." We all looked up towards the stairs to see Malika. She was leaning against the wall with her arms crossed. Her hair was in a low ponytail that still reached her waist and her bangs were still to the side of her face covering her right eye. She was wearing an Earth Kingdom robe that she tightly tied around her and hung down to her knees. She had obviously torn her pants short so they were just above her knees.

"How long have you been listening?" I asked.

"Long enough. Just because they don't trust you doesn't mean they see you as Ozai or Sozin. It's just the Fire Nation they don't completely trust, not you in particular."

"I'm the Fire Lord aren't I? Then all of that hate or 'non-trusting' goes towards me."

She rolled her eyes. She flipped her bangs out of her face and stared at me with her deep blue eyes. Suddenly a chill ran down my spine as if she were slowly freezing me. She walked over to the table. "Believe what you want, Zuko, but it's not true. I don't care what you say," She put her hand on the table to support her as she leaned in and got close to my face, only a few inches away. "With the Avatar's support, the generals will have to trust you with this. With Toph taking over. If she does well as Queen you will also have the Earth Kingdom citizens' support and they'll trust you enough to know you won't start a war like Sozin. The Avatar's support is all we need. It's a huge advantage for you. And now that the Dragon of the West saved them from the Fire Nation there's no way they can say no. They'll have to follow your lead. They really don't have much of a choice."

Something passed over her eyes, something almost…sinister. Malika was always free-spirited and laid back and didn't give much of a care in the world. But the way she talked about this topic… It was out of her league. She'd never get herself involved with politics. Especially in this kind of situation. I didn't know what was going on. Before I could really say anything she had pulled away.

"What are you trying to say, Malika?" Aang asked.

"What I'm trying to say is-"

"Malika!" They all looked at me. I panicked. I stood up. "Uh…you look tired. You should get some sleep." I put my hands on her shoulder and began to slightly push her towards the stairs.

"But I'm not tired."

"Ok, but you should go talk with Katara and Breana and Suki about…girly stuff." I pushed her up the stairs and waited for the door to close. When it did I walked back over to the table and sat down.

"What was that about?" Sokka asked. They all eyed me.

"You didn't see it?"

"See what?" Aang asked.

I looked at the stairs. "Something in Malika. She's letting all of this get to her head. Something's not right." We all sat silent for a while.

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**A/N: **O.O uh oh. what's going on with Malika? Is she getting sick again? Or is she becoming power-hungry? let me know what you think! ^^


	28. Chapter 28

i meant to post this last wednesday but i was really busy and never got to it, so sorry. I hope you'll forgive me. Anyway, enjoy ^^

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Malika's P.O.V.

After Zuko pushed me away, I found myself standing against the door in the girls' room. Ursa was standing by the window while Breana, Katara and Suki sat on the bed. I had my arms crossed and I was glaring at the floor for some strange reason. My head continued to throb in pain and I couldn't shake away the feeling. It was as if something had changed my emotions; my behavior. I felt a hand on my shoulder and jerked my head up. I looked into light brown eyes that belonged to Breana. "What?" I asked.

"Are you feeling ok? You don't look too good." She put her hand on my forehead, but I swatted it away.

I scowled. "Stop. I'm feeling fine." She looked at me with a look of concern. I shook my head and rolled my eyes. "I'm fine, ok? Will you just lay off?"

"Malika, I'm only trying to help. Talk to me."

"I have nothing to say." I said, a bit harshly.

"What's going on?" I looked up to see Ursa walking over to us. Concern filled eyes. I could tell it was an instinct for her, going into immediate mother-mode.

I shook my head and looked down. "Nothing's going on. I just don't want to be bothered."

Without waiting for a response I walked out of the room. I know I must've hurt Ursa's feelings, as well as Breana's, but I was being honest. I didn't want to be bothered. But that obviously wasn't working out since I was being pestered. I walked down the hall to the guys' room. I barged in without knocking. Raiku and Nekai looked up at me from where they were sitting by the window. I probably interrupted whatever conversation they were engrossed in, but I didn't care. Had I stayed in the other room any longer, all of the girls probably would've backed me up into a corner and drowned me with questions, trying to figure out what was wrong. The guys would probably do the same eventually, but it was better.

"Whoa, who pushed your buttons? I haven't seen you like this in a long time." Nekai said.

I crossed my arms and rolled my eyes. "Please don't try interrogating me as well. Breana already went down that path and I pretty much blew her off." They stared at me wide eyed. I narrowed my eyes at them. "What?"

"You blew off Breana? You didn't let her help you?"

"Why such a big deal?"

"Breana is your best friend. You've never blown her off before."

I looked away, not wanting to make eye contact with either one. More interrogating was just ahead, I could tell. I tried changing the subject. "I've never seen him like that before." I said.

"See who like what before?" Raiku asked.

I looked at him. "Zuko. For once ever since we met he seemed…scared of me. Like I wasn't even me."

Nekai stood up and walked over to me. He put his hand on my cheek and brought my gaze to his. He searched me. "You do seem kind of…off. What's wrong?"

I pushed his hand away from my face and averted my gaze. "Nothing is wrong." I said in an irritated voice. I walked over to the bed and sat on it. I looked out the window and stared at the night sky then the door opened. I looked up to see Aang, Zuko and Sokka walk in. They stared at me as if I were a complete stranger.

"Are you guys just gonna stare or say something?" They only kept staring. "What is wrong with you people? I mean, really? If there's something you need to say then say it." Another response of silence. I stood up. "I'm going for a walk. I need time alone." I walked towards the door.

"Malika…" Zuko said as I walked by, but I ignored him. I walked downstairs, out of the house and into the night.

Zuko's P.O.V.

We all watched Malika storm out of the room. I looked at Aang and Sokka. "I told you, something's wrong with her. This behavior…it's not her."

The girls walked into our room at that moment. "Ok, what's the deal with Malika?" Breana asked.

"We're not sure."

Breana looked at me and narrowed her eyes. "Did you say something to her to make her this way?"

"Why am I the first suspect? I didn't do anything."

"It's true." Aang said.

We looked at him. "What do you mean it's true?" Breana asked him.

"Well, from what I saw they were…kissing each other and then they walked inside hand in hand and then Malika just started this weird behavior."

Breana looked at me. "Ok, so you didn't do anything. What do you know?"

"Nothing. I know nothing…" I walked over to the window and looked out. I saw Malika's silhouette in the darkness. There were few lights around so it was slightly easier to make her out. I knew where she was going. I turned around from the window and went over to my bag.

"What is it?" Aang asked.

"Malika. I saw her. She's going to the Lower Ring." I pulled out my Blue Spirit mask and black outfit. "I'm going after her." I walked out of the room and down the end of the hall. I slowly and carefully opened the door to my Uncle's room. I walked in and over to his closet. I opened it and took out my broadswords. I slowly walked out of the room and into the bathroom. I quickly put on my Blue Spirit outfit and put my swords around my shoulder. I walked out and went downstairs.

"Zuko, you shouldn't be doing this alone." I turned around to see my mother standing by the stairs with everyone behind her.

"I have to. She's going to get herself in trouble."

"That's what she does," Raiku said. "Getting in trouble is in her blood. She does it for a living."

"I know, but I have to stop her." Without waiting for anyone else to respond I was out the door. The night air was cool and the sky was clear. I put on my mask and took off for Malika.

Malika's P.O.V.

I wrapped my arms around myself and tried to heat up. I kept my gaze straight ahead. I needed to do something to keep my mind off of whatever happened back there. The only thing I could think of was to pick a fight. To taste the power that I wield. Where better to do that than the slums of the Lower Ring? It would be a long walk, seeing as the station didn't run at night, but I'd be able to manage.

At least an hour had passed and I finally made it to the Lower Ring. I smiled. I went deeper and deeper into the slums and stopped when I heard laughter. I turned down an alley and continued walking down. At the end was a building and light was shining through the windows. I heard yelling and cheering and glass breaking and I smiled again. I walked through the door and looked around. It was like a cavern. There was a bar in one corner and the rest was like a diner except used for fighting. I walked over to the bar and sat down.

"You want something?" I turned around and stared at the guy who spoke. He was heavyweight and sweaty. I shook my head and turned back around. I kept my eyes on two guys. They kept shoving each other and eventually tackled each other. Everyone around them laughed and cheered. I rolled my eyes and stood up. This wasn't much of a place to fight. Just a place for idiots to get away from the real world. I slipped out and walked back down the long alley. I stopped when I heard muttering. I slowly turned around and saw two silhouettes walking my way. They didn't seem to acknowledge me. At first. I turned back around and continued to walk. I stopped when I saw four more coming from the other way. There was nowhere else to go. I looked up. The roofs of the buildings were too high up to jump onto. My only option was to fight. My heart began to race, though. The six figures picked up their pace and came straight toward me. I looked back and forth between all of them. The first two reached me and stopped. They weren't as old as I thought they were. They were at least in their early twenties and of course they were drunk.

"Look at this, boys. Our first catch of the night." I turned around to see the other four had caught up with me as well.

I backed up against the wall. _Don't be afraid. Don't be a wimp. You're stronger than this. Remember you years on the streets. _I took a deep breath. "You guys should turn around and forget you ever saw me." The first guy who spoke stepped forward.

He had brown hair and green eyes. He was a few inches taller than me and despite his drunken state he was kind of cute. I pushed that to the back of my mind and reminded myself to focus on what was happening. He got closer to me and grabbed some of my hair. I tensed, but stood perfectly still. My breathing was probably the only thing that was heard. He twirled my hair between his fingers and leaned in closer. I could smell the alcohol on his breath. "You have beautiful hair. And pretty eyes."

"Back away from me." My voice was a bit shaky.

"Or what? What's a helpless girl like you gonna do?"

Something snapped inside of me at the sound of being called helpless. I laughed and he let go of my hair. "Helpless? You have got to be kidding me. Now that I think about I'm glad you six are here. I've been looking for a fight all night. You six are perfect to pick a fight with." The guy glared at me. I smiled. "Aw, someone's getting angry. Do you need me to call your mom?"

He pulled back his fist and aimed it towards my face, but I dropped to the ground. He yelled as soon as his fist made contact with the brick wall. He stepped back, holding his fist in his other hand. I smiled. "Oops, looks like you missed." Two others came at me but I rolled away. A third came at me and hovered over me. He bent down, but I kicked him in his face. He yelled and backed away. I stood up and punched one of them that was standing near me. I was too busy trying to punch another that I didn't notice the first guy come up behind me. He grabbed me by my hair and pulled me to him. I yelled. He grabbed my arms, holding them behind my back, and pulled my head back. He inhaled deeply as he buried his face in my hair. He pressed his cheek against mine. I struggled to get out of his grasp, but I couldn't. Not to mention if I did, the rest of his drunken friends had regained their composure and now surrounded me. I was trapped either way.

The guy that was holding me chuckled. "Such a shame. You're so pretty. But we can't let you go, not after this."

"Come on, Sheng, let's hurry this up." One of the guys said.

The guy, Sheng, chuckled again. "Fine then." Sheng grabbed my hair and pulled me down, making me fall back. My head hit the ground, causing my vision to blur. I couldn't move. How pathetic. All six guys hovered over me for a second before I felt hands grab both of my arms and hold me down. I closed my eyes and when I opened them, Sheng was hovering directly over me. "Where's the knife?"

My eyes widened. I struggled to get away, but his hand suddenly went to my throat. The one I kicked in the face was in my peripheral vision, holding a knife in his hand. "Let me go!"

Sheng slapped me in my face. "Shut up." He took the knife and held it to my throat and pressed hard. I felt blood trickle down my neck. I tensed. He then held the knife in my face. "Now, you're either going to do what we say, or this knife is going straight through your chest. Understood?" I only glared at him, not caring that the knife was pressed against my cheek. He laughed, causing the rest of his group to laugh as well. I clenched my teeth together and spat in his face. They all went silent. "You little…" He raised the knife in the air. I closed my eyes, ready for him to plunge the knife into me. But it didn't come. Instead I felt weight lift off of me and heard a loud thud. I opened my eyes to see the second guy fall. That's when I saw him. A masked figure. I knew who it was: Zuko.

Zuko's P.O.V.

I jumped down from the roof and I soon as I hit the ground I hit the guy with the knife on his head and kicked him off of Malika. He hit the wall. I looked at Malika. She wasn't smiling or anything. Her face was completely neutral. I turned around and pulled out my swords. I quickly took down the other four without a problem. They clearly weren't much of the fighting type. "Zuko." I turned around to see Malika. The first guy had picked her up from the ground, and he held the knife to her throat. I took off my mask and dropped it.

"Take one step towards me and she gets it."

I met Malika's gaze. She wasn't panicking. Her face was calm. Then something happened. Malika elbowed the guy in his stomach and he let go of her. She punched him in his face and he stumbled. Then she put her hands on his shoulders and jumped up. Still holding onto the guy she flipped over him. As he fell, she let go of his shoulders. He fell on his back and lay there, not moving. Malika landed in a crouched position. She stood up and didn't look at me. Then it began to rain. It had been cloudy all night, so it wasn't a surprise.

"Malika?"

She still didn't look at me. Her dark hair was clinging to her and her clothes were soaked. She finally did turn around. Her hair was in her face and it gave her a sinister look. "I didn't need your help." I heard her say before she turned back around and began walking.

Malika's P.O.V.

It might've looked like I needed help, but I didn't. I had it all under control until Zuko had to come in and "rescue" me. I knew he was following me right now, but I kept walking. I was soaked, but I felt safe in the rain. "What do you mean you didn't need my help?"

I felt a hand on my shoulder. I stopped. I turned around and slapped Zuko's hand away from me. He grabbed my arm. "Let go of me!" I punched him in his stomach and then pushed him and he fell from the strong impact. He sat there in the mud. His hair hung from his face with water dripping off of it. I turned back around and continued walking. I created a wall of ice behind me. A few more feet and I created a wall of fire. I continued walking to nowhere in particular. Somewhere deep inside of me, I felt sorry for Zuko, which is why I reached into my pocket and pulled out the betrothal necklace. I put it around my neck. After that fight and the way my behavior has change, it all made me realize something: I want my old life back.

Zuko's P.O.V.

I sat there in the mud staring at the wall of ice. I fell back and just stared up at the sky. I didn't pay much attention to the rain even though it made my eyes sting with the contact it made. I only lay there and closed my eyes. I didn't care who found me or where I'd end up. And for once, I didn't care where Malika went.

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**A/N: **tada. i hope you guys liked it. originally the scene where Malika was held down was going to be a little more graphic, but decided not to do that since she is my character (me) and i wouldn't my character (me) being abused and have other stuff done to her and what not. but feel free to let your imagination run wild. and if you want i personally don't mind you sending me what you think would've/could've happened had i decided to make it more graphic. ^^ review please. and thank you


	29. Chapter 29

It's been a long time, i know, im sorry. But i've been busy with hw, sports, friends, etc. So i hope you can forgive me. Last chap, Malika ran off. exciting, right? :P ok i hope you enjoy!

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I woke up in a bed that morning. I sat up and looked around. I was in a small room. I looked down at myself. I was wearing new clothes. Though confused, I stood up and walked out of the room. I found myself in the living room. There was a couch in the middle of it. Two windows occupied two walls. A door was to the right of one window. My swords were leaning against the wall.

"Oh, you're awake." I looked up to come face to face with a green eyed girl. She had dark hair that was tied in a bun. She looked about nineteen. "How are you feeling?" She asked.

"Um…ok?"

"I'm sorry you have to wake up like this. I found you last night in an alley and you seemed hurt. I'm Kylin."

"I'm-"

"Lee. I know."

I raised an eyebrow. "Uh, how'd you know?"

"I'm Jin's cousin. She told me your name when she saw you."

"Jin…" Jin? Jin…of course Jin. How could I forget? It just had to be a relative of hers, didn't it? "You're Jin's cousin?"

She nodded and walked back into the kitchen. "Are you hungry?" She asked.

I scratched the back of my neck. "Kind of."

"Come eat, then." I walked into the kitchen. A bowl of rice sat on the table. "I'm sorry it's not much. It's all I have for now. The Earth Kingdom is still recovering from the war. Food is scarce."

I sat down. "It's fine."

She sat across from me. "So, what were you doing out there?"

I looked at her. She was staring back at me. Could I trust this girl? Could I tell her my business and not worry? Would she do something for my benefit or something that would make me want to kill her? "Uh, I was….just…"

"You don't have to try and find some lame excuse. I can keep secrets."

My face flushed. It must've sounded like that. How humiliating. I was the Fire Lord, for crying out loud, and I was clearly embarrassing myself in front of this Earth Kingdom citizen. "It's not that it's a secret, I just…"

She slowly nodded. "Don't feel comfortable. It's ok, I completely understand. Do you have a family out here?"

"Yes, in the Upper Ring."

Her expression changed to that of sheer curiosity. "What are you doing down here?"

I sighed. "I was looking for my girlfriend. Something's wrong with her and I'm trying to find out what that is, but…that's why you found me lying in the mud. She practically attacked me."

"Oh. Did you do something to make her angry at you?"

I shook my head. "She's just…she gets emotional and when it happens she needs to let it out somehow. She solves her problems with violence and running away. Like she did last night. She was fighting some guys and I helped her, even though she didn't want it. And after she attacked me…she ran off."

"Wait," Kylin perked up and gripped the edge of the table. "does she have black hair and blue eyes?" I nodded. "I saw her! She was walking around like she didn't give a care in the world. Despite how terrible she looked in the rain, she was pretty." I sat back, leaving my food untouched.

"I need to get back home."

"You'll go home soon, I swear, but for now you need rest. You have a giant bruise on your stomach." She stood up and grabbed my bowl and hers. She dumped the rice I had out a window and put the bowls in the washbasin.

That's when I saw them. Scars all over her right shoulder. I leaned forward and narrowed my eyes. "How did you get those?" I asked before I could stop myself from saying it.

She looked at me then her shoulder. She pulled up her sleeve and turned away. "Fire Nation. They burned down my village. I'm kind of happy, though. The war is finally over. But I don't think this peace will last long."

I studied her. "Why not? Don't you believe in change?"

She scoffed. "Have you heard stories about Fire Lord Zuko, before he was Fire Lord?" She asked, looking at me. I nodded. "Just because he helped throw his father in prison and stopped the war with the Avatar doesn't mean he'll keep peace between the nations."

"You seem to hate him."

She furrowed her eyebrows and seemed to be concentrating on something. "I only hate him because of what he's capable of doing." We were silent for awhile.

"What if you came face to face with him? The new Fire Lord, I mean."

"I'd fight him."

"Are you a skilled earth bender?" She nodded.

I had to tell her. This girl…she was truly hurt. She did have the right to know what I'm capable of doing. And that capability is to bring peace to the four nations. "What would you do if…if I told you that I'm the Fire Lord?"

She stared at me. Her face went grim. "Why do you seem so serious?" She asked.

"Because I am. I'm Fire Lord Zuko."

She looked away and balled her hand into a fist. "You're not lying to me, are you?"

"No. And I'm nothing like my father. I won't start another war that will hurt others. I'd never do anything like that."

"Jin doesn't know, does she?"

"She shouldn't know."

She looked at me and nodded, a bit of anger in her eyes. "You're nicer than I expected. But I wish I had known as soon as I saw you. You are different from your father."

Before I said anything there was a knock at the door. Kylin walked over to it and opened it. "Is Lee awake?" Jin.

"Uh…yeah, he is. And I'm sure he'll be glad to see you. He's in the kitchen." I heard the door close.

Jin walked into the kitchen and smiled at me. Her hair was in two braids, one hanging over each shoulder, and her big brown eyes were still childish. She kept that grin that she always wore. "Lee! I'm so glad you're ok. I never expected to see you again."

"Uh, yeah. I could say the same."

"How are you feeling? You were pretty worn out when I saw you."

"I'm doing great." I stood up. Kylin walked into the kitchen and shot me a glance.

"I'm glad. What were you doing out there anyway?"

"Uh, I was just…um…"

"He was chasing after his girlfriend and ended up passing out after he found her." Kylin said.

Jin's face slightly fell. "Oh, I'm sorry. What exactly happened?"

Before I responded, I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned around to look at Kylin. "You need some more rest." I nodded. Kylin was helping me avoid as much conversation with Jin and I appreciated it. I smiled at Jin before going back to the room and resting.

Katara's P.O.V.

I was pacing back and forth in the living room. I was panicking because Zuko and Malika never came back. "Katara, will you please sit down? You're pacing is making me dizzy." Sokka said.

I glared at him. "How could you not be panicking? Our friends are missing!"

"Knowing Zuko and Malika they're probably off getting in trouble together."

"Knowing Malika, she probably got arrested." Nekai said.

I groaned. "I can't believe you guys aren't freaking out. They've been gone all night and we haven't heard from them. If you guys aren't going to do something, then I am."

Nekai stood up. "Ok, if something did happen to them, then it's not safe to go out alone."

I put my hands on my hips. "What are you suggesting?"

He stared at me. "That I go with you."

I stared back at him. "You're serious."

"Of course I'm serious. That's my best friend out there. She might've abandoned me once, but I won't abandon her."

I slowly nodded. "Fine. You're coming."

Sokka stood up now. "I don't think this is such a great idea."

"Sokka, you know we have to do this. We need to go find them. They can be in trouble for all we know."

"This is Zuko and Malika we're talking about. If they're in trouble, they'll find a way out."

"What if they don't? Someone needs to go after them."

I wasn't going to deal with this anymore. I was tired of Sokka not wanting to help our friends and no one else was going to do anything. They see Malika and Zuko as two strong people who always get in and out of trouble. But I saw them as people who walk around their problems instead of solve them. They tried ignoring their problems, but only get in trouble trying to do that. I was also mad that Iroh and Ursa weren't doing anything either.

I grabbed Nekai's arm. "Come on. We're going after them."

Now Iroh stood up. "Katara, I think your brother is right. We shouldn't go after them."

"Iroh, this is your nephew we're talking about. Do you know what would happen if the citizens of Ba Sing Se find out that the Fire Lord is roaming around? They'll kill him. It doesn't matter what he did, they see him as Ozai. I'm going to find them." I was done. I walked to the door with Nekai in tow.

"Katara, you shouldn't." I turned around. Aang stood up now and his face was full of concern.

I shook my head. "I don't understand. Our friends-"

"Can take care of themselves."

"No they can't. Spirits, for all we know they could be dead!"

The room fell silent. I tightly shut my eyes to prevent myself from crying. I couldn't help it. Was I the only one who cared for our friends? If that was so, then I'd be the one to help them. "I'm done with this. Let's go, Nekai." The two of us walked out of the house and into the sun. We walked on in silence for awhile.

"Are you ok?" Nekai asked, breaking the silence.

I shrugged, my arms wrapped around myself. "I don't know. I'm just really worried. We haven't heard anything from them."

"Well…maybe they're together and just…you know."

I looked at him out of the corner of my eye. "You love her, don't you?"

He grinned and looked up at the sky. "Yeah, but…she's not mine to love. She'll always be my best friend, nothing more. I can't deny that I'm fine with that."

"Did she ever…give you a chance? I mean, I don't mean to pry, it's not my place, but…"

He shrugged and continued to avoid my eyes. "Don't worry about it," He was silent awhile before continuing. "I've asked countless times to…at least consider. She always did the same thing."

I waited for him to continue, but he seemed to be in thought. "What would she do?"

He smiled. "She'd always smile and hug me…saying that she didn't want to lose me."

"That was sweet. You guys must've been great friends." He sighed and remained silent.

Zuko's P.O.V.

When I woke up after an hour of sleep, Jin was still here, deep in conversation with Kylin. I couldn't hear what they were talking about and I didn't care. I saw my swords sitting by the door. I walked toward them and grabbed them, swinging the sheath over my shoulder and opening the door.

"Going so soon?"

I turned around to see Jin standing there. I pursed my lips and looked down at the floor. "I should go. My family is probably worried about me."

Her expression fell. "Oh. Of course." I turned back around and took one step out the door. "I hope you find your girlfriend."

I froze mid-step. I took a deep breath. "Thank you." I closed the door behind me and walked down the stairs.

I rapidly blinked, trying to adjust to the lighting. The sun was high in the sky and harshly beating down on me. Perspiration already formed on my head.

"Wait, Zuko!" I turned around to see Kylin walking toward me. She was holding a folded up black cloth in her hands. "I cleaned it for you. When I found you, it was caked with mud."

I took the cloth from her and unfolded it. My mask was inside, perfectly clean. All evidence of last night washed away from it. I re-wrapped it and looked at Kylin and smiled at her. "Thank you."

She grinned but just as quickly, her face went grim. "I hope things go ok with you and your girlfriend." I nodded once and walked away from her.  
As I walked around the Lower Ring, I was determining whether or not I should go look for Malika or if I should go back to the house and try to figure things out. I sighed in frustration. I had no idea what I should do. If last night was different I wouldn't have hesitated as to what I was going to do. I would've immediately gone to look for Malika. But she didn't want to come back home. Not now at least.

I needed to talk to my uncle….No. I shouldn't. I always go to him for advice, he had to be tired of me by now. I'd go to my mother when I got back. Malika lived with her for a while, she had to understand her by now. More frustration. I had hoped I would have gotten over my case of confusion by now, but maybe it was a permanent thing. Maybe my brain was too jumbled to pick out a single decision without picking up another.

After walking aimlessly and thinking as hard as I could, I decided to head back to the house and confront everyone. I needed their help. It was the best thing I would get out of this.

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**A/N: **i hope you liked it. just the after math and where some people stand in the situation with Malika. Maybe even Kylin will come back? maybe, maybe not. please review! i appreciate it!


	30. Author's Note

Author's Note

**(IMPORTANT EXPLANATION! PLEASE READ!)**

I LIVE! And I am so sorry. So very very very very very very very sorry times a million. I can't even tell you why I've had such a long absence. It just kind of…I don't know. Ok, I am still working on my stories, BUT…I have terrible writer's block at this moment ;_; again I apologize. I'm sitting here at this very moment just kind of staring at the screen like "What do I do?" I am trying my hardest. Honestly and truly.

If anything I am willing to take any ideas. At this moment **IDEAS ARE OPEN FOR THE TAKING!** If any of my lovely readers (that's you guys) have any ideas no matter what they are, I will take them into consideration because my brain is not working with me right now and it's a nuisance. So please please please. **This note is for all of my stories, not just any one in particular.**

I will give some shout outs though:

**Kianna: **For telling me to hurry the heck up and reminding me that people actually like my writing and want me to continue and also for giving me the thought that people appreciate me. THANK YOU SO MUCH!

**biganimefan84: **for following my story even after a year of being gone. I really appreciate it.

**KorraAvanasidoch: **YOU! I hope you're still with me cause I wanna talk about something. That link you tried showing me with the dresses never came through and I really wanna see it. And I have a feeling you might have other ideas for me so keep 'em coming! ^^ I appreciate them.

**Madskill101: **YOU! I also hope you're still here. You're hilarious. You'd be my friend if I knew you in real life XD Thanks for sticking with me.

**LexxieLuvsU: **I hope you're still here. Thank you for supporting and loving Yura. People have been mean to her lately and she needs love. Thank you so much!

**milomoice: **;_; Thank you for favoring AWT! I feel like it's unpopular so thank you for the support!

**TO EVERYONE ELSE!:** Thank you for still being here! I love you all. Pray that I get my brain in check and that I can get back to writing without trouble. THANK YOU!


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